Two years have passed since Jinhee and Seunghae were born, and now they are mastering their ability to walk, which only reminds me of Seonhwa in her days with the only difference being that instead of following me, I am the one who has to follow them to keep them safe as any good Oppa would do.
Among the news of this time, well, the first is that Seonhwa and I were enrolled in school and now we have to go daily to receive proper education for children our age... Well for Seonhwa it is, for me it is a hell of boredom, where there is nothing they can teach me. I learned to understand the language in my first months of birth and learned to read and write Korean shortly after learning to walk, and if we talk about numeracy and mathematics, in my previous life I learned the highest level of it, I mastered applied mathematics to such an extent that I can mentally calculate statistics or probabilities and developed my computational brain level to a medium degree, which was quite advanced for someone my age in my world.
Practically, I could be teaching at a university level if we talk about mathematics in this world.
Still, I did not oppose such an experience for several reasons. The first is that I realized that in places where more people congregate, the mana quantity of the area increases for some reason. I am still to discover the reason and I will take advantage of my time at school to try and find out.
The other reason is that because of there being relatively higher quantity of mana, I can take advantage to practice my skills like the [Nine Eyes] and continue expanding my mana reserves with the constant consumption and recovery of it.
In this way, I improve my ability and increase my mana reserves, achieving two important goals in one.
Then there is the other most important reason, 'time' to think and plan how to achieve my goals. At home, this is not possible mainly because of the presence of Seonhwa, Jinhee, mom, dad, the uncles or Seunghae. Because of them, I don't have much free time to think calmly and sit down to write my plans without someone interrupting me or worse yet, seeing what I do, instead here at school apart from fulfilling my role as a "common student" I don't have to do anything, and going with the flow and fulfilling that role only consumes 5% of my mental capacity and leaves the rest for me to practice my skills, think and elaborate my plans calmly and without much interruption.
Now with all this free time thanks to school, I was finally able to elaborate my master plan. In my hands is a notebook that only has a few words written on its first pages, the rest of the notebook is completely empty. The reason is that today I am going to test a theory and if this works, the success or failure of my plan will be revealed.
I looked at the time on the clock and it is exactly 1:58 am, everyone in the house is asleep and I am in my room. Although I am not alone since Seonhwa is sleeping in my bed, it is not a problem because she is doing just that, sleeping.
She began to sleep with me when Seunghae was born. She is simply suffering from an attention crisis as she used to be an only child. And now that her parents have a little one to attend to, they do not give her as much care and attention as before, so she became jealous.
In a childish protest against her parents and fearing that I would also pay more attention to Seunghae, she made up some nonsense the other night that men and women sleep together like her parents or mine do, or they will get sick, and I not wanting to make her cry, pretended to believe her and agreed, but not without first asking for permission from my parents and uncles. I don't want to unleash the first family war.
Fortunately, the only one who was slightly against the idea was uncle Jung, but with a slight reprimand from aunt Seonmi, it did not turn into more drama and everything was resolved, and since then, Seonhwa and I sleep on the same bed, my bed.
But returning to what is important, which is the notebook in my hands, this notebook has my plans written in an encrypted and summarized form using the language of my previous world, and it will serve me to test a simple but ingenious theory, which is to see if I can unveil the secrets of the future in a different and more useful way than those used in the novel.
If my idea works, then not only will I save myself many problems, but I will be able to guarantee the success of my master plan.
Finally the clock marked 2:00 am and I held my breath as I opened my notebook and flipped the pages, starting with the first, turning to the second, the third, and reaching the fourth, which is the last page I wrote something on.
I know there is no more writing in the notebook because apart from that, I have not written more and I myself checked it a few minutes ago, so theoretically it would be the last page of the notebook that would have content and the rest should be blank, but flipping the page once more and reaching the next, I saw it. There was more writing on page 5 which was supposed to be empty. Although it was only two paragraphs and the words were as abbreviated as possible, as if trying to write as much information as possible using the fewest amount of letters.
And that was it. My idea worked, I can feel my heart rate accelerating. The resulting emotions overwhelmed me for several seconds and I had to force myself to regain composure before reading the content.
The reason for all my inner turmoil is simple... In the novel, Seol Jihu gathered a monstrous amount of achievements and points in his first life, but even that was not enough to send his memories to the past as a wish, so alternatively he wished to send emotions to the past and died without fulfilling his wish because his points were also not enough for that. If it were not for Princess Teresa using her 'Royal Oath' to complement the cost of such an absurd request, then the past Seol Jihu would not have received those feelings from the future.
But on the other hand, there was Seo Yuhui, a person who had the same idea as Seol Jihu, but unlike him, she had many more contribution points, so she was able to send a larger and more detailed amount of memories than Seol Jihu could in the novel.
Based on that and remembering how at the end of the novel they could even send their minds to the future or past for a while because they had many more contribution points, I came up with a simple idea, but if it works it would be the biggest trump card.
I wrote a series of plans and goals in an encrypted and abbreviated form, set a time for execution, and reinforced my resolution to comply with it.
The final goal is that whether it is a success or a failure, in my plan I would use all the accumulated contribution with a single purpose, to send the content of a writing to a set date and time in the past. And that date and time is this one, and seeing that new content appeared in my notebook means that it was a success. Now I have to see the content of the message that my future self has for my current self, I have to know if the plan was a success or a failure, after all being able to send a message is only half the success, but the rest of the plan to save Lost Paradise is the important part.
And so I began to read the message.
Despite being short, encrypted, and abbreviated, I can interpret it this way:
<< Absolute failure, plans A, R, and F failed. 'A' cannot be done. While the 'Parasite Queen' is free, going to Paradise is suicide, and 'F' is not the best option. So 'A' and 'F' must be discarded. 'R' worked, but by discarding 'A' an alternative must be sought. It is better to try plans C and D.
If this message reaches you, you should know the hatred, resentment, and impotence I feel at this moment, and I hope you pay for it with interest. I wish you success in the following plans and hope they do not fail you as they did me. Alex Diaz >>
A failure, I understand. The sending of messages is successful, but the plans I devised to save Lost Paradise, the ones specifically used by this future self which were plans A and F failed. And judging by the final note of feelings, I can say that they turned out in the worst possible way.
Plan A is to go to Lost Paradise along with the first batch of people when Lost Paradise opens for the first time, to strengthen myself physically as much as possible in the neutral zone, and to lay the strongest possible foundations to face and defeat the parasites. But according to the message, it is a failure to enter early when the 'Parasite Queen' is not restricted by the Oath of the 'Supreme Deity' of Paradise. That is why plan A has to be discarded.
Plan R is to save Queen Roe Scheherazade from her tragic fate. From my point of view, of all the characters in the novel, she is the one who suffered the most tragic and senseless fate that the author could write to give his novel an unnecessary and gloomy touch. That is why one of my main goals is to save her, and I will fulfill it no matter the cost.
This presents me with the biggest problem of all because the best opportunity to save her is to enter Lost Paradise from the beginning. But if my future self says that plan A must be discarded, it means I lose the best chance to save her, and I have to plan another way to save her without going to Lost Paradise.
And finally, plan F, which is to use the resources of the Neutral Zone and focus entirely on strengthening my physique above all else. With that, I hoped that upon leaving the Neutral Zone, I would be as strong as a level 4 or 5 if I could properly exploit my abilities plus the advantages of the Neutral Zone. But if it says it is a failure and that it is better to try plans C and D, it means I have to prioritize skills and mana over physical conditioning in the Neutral Zone, which is plan D.
Plan C is the plan I devised as an alternative to plan A. This plan consists of entering Lost Paradise just after the 'Parasite Queen' is sealed on the throne by the Oath of the 'Supreme Deity'. This eliminates the drawbacks of plan A but loses many of its benefits, not to mention that by then, Queen Roe Scheherazade would already be a victim of the tragedy, so I could not save her in time.
So I will try fate again. This time I will focus my efforts on plans C and D and seek help from the first trustworthy earthlings I know based on the story to save Queen Roe Scheherazade.
I decided to try this method and recorded the time; it is 2:25 am. If all goes well, I will be receiving my message at 2:30 am as I have decided.
The minutes passed and felt like hours, but finally, the clock marked 2:30 am and I re-opened my notebook, flipped through the pages until I reached page 6 and saw it. This time the message was longer and more detailed.
<< Plan C is a failure. Even if the 'Parasite Queen' is restricted, at that moment in time the seven armies and their Commanders are at her disposal and free. Although the extra time and training I dedicated before entering Paradise and the success of plan D allowed me to face the parasites.
It still wasn't enough though. I was not strong enough. Even though I gained enough contribution and turned the tides of the fight in our favor several times, it still wasn't enough. I spent all my contribution points to wish to know the best path to follow to achieve victory and only left a minimal amount to transmit it.
First, you have to enter Paradise strictly on the date that the original Jihu did, Causality always works against us if we do it earlier.
Second, plan S is the key before going to Paradise and 'M' is the best plan for the Neutral Zone.
Lastly, finding help didn't work. No matter who it was, no one, whether Earthling or Paradisian could save Roe, but the solution was given to me by the gods themselves, a solution that was already too late for me to use, but you can. The Royal Oath, you have to make her use it to save herself. I can't tell you how because causality doesn't allow it without creating an adverse reaction that nullifies the message, but I know you will arrive at the answer now that you know the way, because you are me.
I hope your attempt is the success we desire and you can avenge the failed attempts of the first and mine. Alex Díaz II >>
So it did not work again. It is disappointing and annoying to know that despite having more abilities and knowledge than the original Seol Jihu, I still failed more times.
But this message from my future self, who seems to have achieved much more than the previous one, has revealed part of the reason. Causality and Destiny. It seems that any attempt of mine to enter before when I am supposed to negatively affects Causality, and that must allow the 'Parasite Queen' to gain advantages to combat my early intrusion such as being able to see me with her ability immediately or having all her subordinates free to attack me, so I should not enter before the original date to not give my enemy extra advantages.
Finally, since I will enter according to the date of the original story, it means that I will have more time on Earth before going, and this gives me the freedom to try to complete plan S, which I originally thought would not be possible without enough time.
Plan S is simply to train on Earth to the point of surpassing the physical level that a normal human could reach, and this can only be possible thanks to my passive abilities. Even with the presence of the restrictions that I have discovered, I suspect that with enough effort and proper training, it is possible to overcome those limits, but this only applies if my body has already fully developed physically and has been trained to the human limit. Without enough time, I did not think to execute that plan, but now that I know that I must enter on the same date as the original, then I have more time. I have to achieve it.
And finally, plan R... If the solution is the Royal Oath, I know of a good idea to fulfill that goal. I just have to pass the message to the deities of Lost Paradise so that they act according to some terms. I know that they cannot activate the Royal Oath without it being used specifically by the owner of said oath, but there are always legal loopholes for those oaths and contracts, and I can think of several to exploit.
Now I will try once more. They say the third time's the charm. My determination is firm, the objectives are set, the path to take is clear.
I closed the notebook and looked at the time, it is 3:15 am. So I will wait for the response at 3:20 am. I wait for the time to pass and relax my mind to prepare for what I hope will be good news.
When the clock marked the expected time, I opened the notebook again and quickly went to page 7 where a new message awaited me.
<< Entering on the original date was the best decision. Causality was in our favor and the extra time allowed to complete plan S which was indispensable to achieve the first objective.
But not everything was rosy... Although we were able to complete 'R' and it worked and we were able to achieve the first objective, the price paid was very high, a feather barely makes a ripple when it falls in the water, but a titan can create a tsunami with a single movement. Ohh 'Gula' , how wise was that phrase, if only I had properly reflected on it before, then I would not have lost everything that mattered to me to win the war.
We won the war, but the price I paid is one that is not worth it, that is why I will tell you that the plan is good, S is indispensable and going to Paradise on the original time is also good. The idea for 'R' worked, it should not be changed. It is from 'M' onwards that changes must be made. M is fine, but focus all your efforts on mana control, healing, and reinforcement, in that order of priorities, they are the key.
Then, the following I cannot explain in detail because the secrets of the future cannot be clearly revealed to the past or there will be negative consequences, so you have to decipher it, but I will express it in the best possible way so that you, whom are me, can understand it. I really hope you interpret it correctly and not only win the war but also preserve what matters to us.
Success in the war will be marked by clues hidden in plain sight. sometimes taking a few steps back will allow us to advance much further forward and go further, and sometimes death does not give a tragic end to a story, but rather gives a wonderful beginning to another. Never forget, the strength of a super gifted individual can be incomparable to that of the less gifted, but our time has taught us that true strength lies in unity. The brightest light will cast the darkest shadow, and without eliminating the light, the shadow will not disappear, focus your efforts in the right places and do not waste your strength in vain.
I pray that you can make the most of this message and are able avenge 'I and II' and protect what I could not. Alex Díaz III >>
I read the message several times and reflected for a long time, but I concluded the path to follow.
First; complete plan S before going to Lost Paradise.
Second; Maintain the current plan R.
Third; enter Lost Paradise at the originally established time.
Fourth; maintain plan M, but focus all my efforts on my mana control, the [Self-healing] ability, and reinforcement. Reinforcement is the idea of an ability I have been contemplating. It consists of using mana to enhance my physical capabilities as is done in many novels, movies, and fictional stories, but I did not know if it would work or if it was worth investing the time to try it, but seeing the message, it is clear that I have to do it.
The difficult part now was making decisions based on the interpretation of the message. This time it was not such a clear message even if it was my future self who sent it to my present self, it is super confusing and tangled what it wants to tell me and I feel that I lack information to have absolute certainty about some things, but others are clearer.
If my conjecture is correct then plan M is the key to the first part of the message and the second part has more to do with gathering my forces even before going to Lost Paradise. But I have to tread carefully with Causality, a misstep and what I think will be an advantage would end up being an obstacle. It is not the first time that someone who knows the future, by trying to change it ends up being the cause of that future happening.
Gathering my determination once again, I closed my notebook for the fourth time. I saw the time is 3:52 am, and I set a new one for a new attempt which is at 4:00 am. Hope fully this will be the last one and mark the best plan to follow, although remembering that four is a number that is superstitiously unlucky according to the Korean culture in which I currently live, so I had a bad feeling since it is attempt 4 which happens to be set at 4:00 am. 'It has to be a coincidence right? Yes, surely it is a coincidence, I am a man of science and until I have real proof I will not believe in superstitions. Those things don't happen.'