Chapter 18
“Too Many Eyes Around”
‘Good thing I built up my strength for moments like this.’
Serdin was someone who kept her promises—to the letter.
She had vowed to lift Royce earlier, and she followed through.
‘How much muscle does he have…?’
He was taller and packed with muscle, making him quite heavy—but not too much for her to lift, even just briefly.
After he got down, Royce gently redid Serdin’s messy ponytail.
“Is it that great?”
“It feels like I own the world.”
And for Serdin, who adored Wasteland Era, it really did feel that way.
Royce smiled brightly in return.
‘He’s not going to change his mind, right?’
Even if he did, Serdin was prepared to camp outside the theater and snatch the ticket if needed.
But Royce seemed to understand her joy, and said warmly:
“I should’ve suggested something like this much earlier.”
Then a senior called him from afar. He hesitated, then reminded her:
“Tomorrow, 5 PM. The place is…”
“I know! City Theater on Pansid Street, right?”
She answered instantly, hoping to show how passionate she was.
Serdin went for a run in the evening.
Tomorrow was the day—meeting Wasteland Era.
She needed a clear mind and strong health for that divine moment.
“Serdin! You look happy.”
Mina jogged up beside her behind the dorms.
“Good news?”
“I’m going to meet him…”
“What? You mean the god Erenete?”
Serdin shook her head. Mina looked let down.
“I thought it was finally the fifth Saint.”
Serdin giggled in secret.
‘If only you knew the Saint is actually Lucike, the main character…’
Mina interrupted her inner thoughts:
“You always smile when I mention the fifth Saint.”
“…Do I?”
“It’s why I keep bringing it up.”
Then Mina noticed Serdin’s thin clothing.
“Aren’t you cold?”
“It was warm earlier.”
“It’s not earlier anymore!”
But Serdin wasn’t bothered. Her passion for Wasteland Era burned hotter than the chill.
‘Passion, passion, passion!’
She kept running with a wide grin.
5:30 PM – No Show
The golden evening sun dipped low.
Crowds disappeared into the city theater for the concert. Everyone… except Royce.
‘Did she get lost?’
He stood outside, arms crossed against the building’s wall, expression unreadable.
‘She’ll be here… soon.’
Minutes ticked by.
‘Why isn’t she coming…?’
His frustration grew.
Royce was used to succeeding. If he gave one, he got two in return.
But with Serdin…
He gave one and lost two.
She was unpredictable. Free-spirited. In love before, even.
‘What if she’s lost interest…?’
His heart dropped.
“No way.”
His fists clenched, tickets crumpling in his hand.
“Royce!”
It was Enia, not Serdin.
He didn’t bother hiding his disappointment.
“You’re still here? Relax that face.”
“You’re waiting for Serdin, right?”
Royce’s eyes sharpened.
“You know where she is?”
“Of course. I’m her roommate.”
“Where?”
“Smile first.”
Royce gave her a cold stare. Enia smirked impishly.
“My sweet roommate would get scared if she saw that face.”
“…What?”
“She’s sick.”
Royce’s strained smile dropped.
“Fever’s sky-high. I was just going to…”
Before she could finish, he was already sprinting toward the dorms.
‘Opportunities don’t disappear. They’re just picked up by someone else.’
Serdin remembered this bitter truth—because she had just lost her chance.
‘My head…’
It had started as a dull headache but by afternoon turned into full-blown fever.
‘Serdin, I’ll tell Royce you can’t come. Just rest.’
Enia’s last words faded as she fell asleep, missing the concert of her dreams.
‘Wasteland Era…’
Instead, she dreamed of an actual wasteland.
‘Is this dream mocking me?’
She didn’t dream often—but when sick, she always did. And those dreams were never pleasant.
This one was lonely. Desolate.
Like in her childhood, when pain brought terrible dreams and dark mornings.
She would pat her shoulder like a mother would… until she fell back asleep.
Over time, as she grew stronger, these dreams became rare.
Until now.
“Ugh…”
She was stuck in a pit, legs buried, unable to escape.
‘This must be from knight drills…’
The desert—eerily similar to the “wasteland”—was collapsing beneath her feet.
“Serdin!”
A voice called her name.
“What’s happening?”
“Serdin!”
She leapt toward stable ground as everything crumbled behind her—
And woke up mid-fall.
“……?”
The dream was gone. The room was spinning.
Her body was slipping off the bed.
But just before she hit the floor—
Someone caught her.
A pair of strong arms had sprinted through the dorm, just in time to cradle her head and body.
