The Trash Wants to Live

PR: Naa_chi

[Apostle.]

“…”

[You can’t beat me.]

“Shut up!”

Who didn’t know that? I gritted my teeth, thinking that he was making fun of me. Dietrich didn’t even blink at my spite.

[The moment he arrived, the end of your world was inevitable]

“…”

[So don’t struggle. It’s useless anyways. I am his will, and death is assured.]

“I told you to shut up!”

[…I understand you. Because I had a time like that too…]

Dietrich’s eyes grew sadder. As if he was reminded of someone, his eyes that were filled with sorrow dimmed and were gradually filled with rage.

[God who has chosen you!—He will never save you even if you collapse and break. He would rather push your back to stand on the front line. You are just a chess pawn!]

The capillaries in his angry eyes reddened. Damn it, I had no idea what he was talking about. Did the fact that I was chosen mean possession?

‘There is no setting like this in the original work.’

It was all about defeating monsters from outer space with powers from outer space; making a lot of money; overusing power; and living happily with various heroines…

The main character was now behind me, groaning from the penalty of having his link broken; and I, the villain, was charging forward like a main character. If you’re going to fucking do this, make me the main character. I loved spending money and having fun with heroines! Of course, I had to get out of here alive before then.

Dietrich seemed to give up in the end since I still hadn’t stop confronting him.

[Good. If you keep getting in the way… I’ll have to get rid of you.]

Dietrich raised his sword. I placed another layer of defense using Kwon Jae Hyuk’s ability on the shield I was holding.

Could I stop him? No, if I couldn’t stop it, I would die. I had to block it no matter what. I was the only one who could protect and save them because everyone but me was terrified and couldn’t move.

And just as the sword was about to fall, a pleasant message appeared before me.

『You endured it well. Player.』

It was the system that had shut down. When I relaxed and felt momentary relief, I felt something passing through my body. There was a huge, hairy animal between Dietrich and me.

A small animal wandered away from the base camp. Cookie was the name of the animal that looked small and weak and looked like a snack for predators.

It looked like a small pet dog, but it was actually a divine beast—stronger than anyone here. Unlike usual, Cookie did not hide his anger, so the monsters that sensed his energy had long since fled.

[Hmph, hmph!]

Ki Yoon Jae, that traitor. Cookie grumbled on his walk. By his standards, Yoon Jae was a mean friend. A bad friend who betrayed him frequently…

‘It’s strange, but I feel better when I’m with him.’

He thought it was because he apparently smelled like his old master. His old master  whom he could no longer see. Cookie was sad as he remembered trying to save everyone, but ultimately failing.

Whenever Cookie was by Yoon Jae’s side, he remembered memories of his old master, so Cookie had always been weak towards Yoon Jae.

[But I can’t easily forgive him this time!]

Hmph!Hmph! 

Cookie didn’t intend to let it slide this time as usual. Cookie was determined not to forgive him unless Yoon Jae regreted betraying him by taking Eui Yeol’s side.

[I might tolerate him a little… if he gave me something delicious.]

Ah, he shouldn’t have done this. Cookie shook his head. He had just said earlier that he would never go easy on him but now he was dumbfounded to think that he would forgive him if Yoon Jae bribed him. Still, when Cookie thought Yoon Jae would be heartbroken if he was neglected by him, he felt uneasy. Cookie whined and finally sighed.

[Ki Yoon Jae is a softie… I guess he had no choice but to do what Jang Eui Yeol said.]

Thus, Cookie came to the conclusion that Yoon Jae should be tolerated because it wasn’t Yoon Jae at fault, but Eui Yeol. Cookie ran out in anger like this, so he wouldn’t do it next time.

It was around this time when Cookie thought about going back. Suddenly, the colour of the sky changed. He felt ominous.

[This…]

It was just like that time. It was the same as when “that” visited the world where Cookie lived. ‘That’ had killed his master  and eventually destroyed his world.

Was it because of that? Cookie thought of Yoon Jae, who smelled similar to his former master and began to run.

‘Even if I was angry, I shouldn’t have gone this far.’

Cookie thought Yoon Jae’s coaxing might lead to his anger melting away if he stayed close, so he went out farther to let Yoon Jae know that he was really angry, but this became a problem.

Cookie, who was running with short legs, hated his smaller body today. If he was in his former body, he would have jumped and arrived quickly… Since that day he could talk to Yoon Jae, he couldn’t grow any bigger. Neither Yoon Jae nor Cookie knew how to he could get bigger, so he didn’t know what to do.

Fortunately, Cookie could feel Eui Yeol moving a little closer to Yoon Jae. Cookie didn’t know why he could feel something like that. It was as if there was a thin thread connecting him to Eui Yeol.

So Cookie was able to know of Eui Yeol’s feelings or moods. Eui Yeol liked Yoon Jae so much that he would protect him until he arrived.

‘And there’s also Jung Yi Joon.’

Yi Joon was a very bad friend, but he was only kind to Yoon Jae. So Yoon Jae would be fine. Cookie kept running and convincing himself. Nevertheless, his heart kept beating anxiously. Just when Cookie’s head was filled with thoughts that he had to go faster. A voice began to reverberate in his mind.

『Elson Ancedu Espran Poiren Dienia Hatien Shana Gatizen.』

It was Cookie’s name that he thought he couldn’t hear anymore. Everyone who knew his name was dead, and Yoon Jae, the only one who could hear him, seemed to have no intention of calling his name.

Cookie stopped running and looked around, surprised to hear his name ringing in his head.Then the voice echoed in his mind again. 

『Do you want to regain your lost power?』

[Yes!]

In fact, it was sealed rather than lost. However, the master who could unlock the seal was gone, so it was like losing his power.

Cookie kept thinking that he should go to Yoon Jae, but he had a hunch that he should not miss the words of the voice who spoke to him. So even though he was in a hurry, he stopped and waited for the voice to continue speaking. Cookie was startled by the following words of the voice because what the voice demanded was that he serve a new master.

『Please sign a contract with Ki Yoon Jae.』

[What?]

『Only then can you break your seal.』

Cookie understood that as well. Since his master was gone, and he couldn’t break the seal, he had no choice but to find his new master to break the seal. 

But it was hard for him to accept. For him who had lost everything, the only trace left of his old master was the contract.

‘Even if I don’t break the seal, I am strong.’

So Cookie decided that there was no need to make a contract. Cookie was felt annoyed as the voice continued to talk to him, delaying his steps despite the fact that he was in a hurry.

『If you don’t break the seal, Ki Yoon Jae will die.』

[…]

『The invader who appeared before Ki Yoon Jae is the Holy Knight Dietrich.』

[What?]

Cookie, who had been ignoring the words he heard, was taken aback. Dietrich? You mean that Dietrich? That can’t be true. He…

[He can’t be here.]

『He is corrupted. He came to kill everyone here as ‘his’ hunting dog.』

It couldn’t be. That was impossible. He didn’t know about anyone else, but it was impossible for Dietrich to become corrupt and become ‘that’ person’s tool… That was absolutely impossible.

‘But if… What if those words are true?’

Then Cookie had to break the seal, as he wouldn’t be able to stop him with his current strength. Since, he was the strongest person Cookie knew. Cookie heard gunshots while he was hesitating.

It was the sound of the weapon called a gun. It was a powerful weapon, but not strong enough for Cookie or Dietrich. If it really was Dietrich they were facing…

Cookie closed his eyes tightly. Time flew even while he was agonising over it. The last string connected to his old master… He now realised that he had to let go of his lingering emotions.

[All right, I’ll make a contract.]

『Good, I’ll be your agent. Let’s start the contract.』

Cookie recalled when he formed the contract which began with the words, “I swear to God.” That was the old contract he made with his former master. When he was told that the end of the contract ended with the naming, the old master gave him the names of several saints as well as her own last name.

Gatizen, a gift from God. It was an undeserved name.

Cookie felt that his name was being deleted with the new contract. And he accepted the name ‘Cookie’ overlaid on it. Then the power trapped in his body began to release. His small body grew bigger as he signed a contract with Yoon Jae—one that was supposed to be signed with Eui Yeol who would have a crisis situation that would happen in the future. Cookie looked up to see his huge body that he had seen in the hospital room that day.

[Dietrich…]

As his body grew bigger, he felt more sensitive to Dietrich’s energy.

Realising that the voice that came to his mind did not lie, Cookie’s new appearance disappeared leaving an afterimage.

And by the time Cookie arrived, Dietrich and Yoon Jae were at odds. Dietrich, who raised his sword high, looked dangerous as if he was about to split Yoon Jae in half.

Cookie ran recklessly and hit Dietrich with his body. Dietrich’s body that had been hit by Cookie’s body suddenly shot out like a missile, floating through the air.

Dietrich, who quickly settled down in the air, landed on the ground and looked at Cookie with incredulous eyes.

[Gatizen… is it really you?]

“Dietrich…”

Cookie looked at Dietrich with pitiful eyes. They who came from the same hometown had met in an unfamiliar place, but it was not a pleasant encounter.