As if fulfilling a promise, the companions went on their separate ways to find their purpose.
就像履行承诺一样，这些伙伴们各走各的路去寻找他们的目标。
Some set up a security agency, while someone joined the government.
有些人成立了安全机构，有些人则加入了政府。
Han Su-Yeong didn't join anyone. Instead, she became someone who taught things.
韩素妍没有加入任何人，相反，她成了一个教书的人。
⸢⸢Reading modern philosophy through webnovels⸥⸥
从网络小说解读现代哲学
Han Su-Yeong did her lectures featuring such a title from the centre.
韩素英(音译)的讲座就是以这样一个中心名称为特色的。
After the last scenario ended, reality and fantasy were separated once more.
在最后一个场景结束后，现实和幻想再次分离。
"And so, if you apply Roland Barthes' 'Mourning Diary' to this novel…."
“因此，如果你把罗兰•巴特(RolandBarthes)的《哀悼日记》(MourningDiary)应用到这部小说中......”
Most of the attendees carried the look of puzzlement asking what kind of a "dipping croissant in a 'ssamjang' sauce" rubbish this was, but a few students seemed to be rather interested by the idea.
大多数与会者都带着疑惑的表情，询问这是什么“酱汁蘸羊角面包”之类的垃圾，但也有一些学生似乎对这个想法颇感兴趣。
One of them raised up his hand and asked her. "Your viewpoint is quite intriguing, Professor. But I do have some objections."
其中一个人举起手来问她。“你的视角很有趣，教授。但我确实有一些反对意见。”
Han Su-Yeong nodded her head as consent to go ahead. The student continued on with a triumphant look. "Did the author really intend for such a reaction? Is applying such a grandiose theory to a novel full of poor grammar and contradictory sentences a correct way to read it? To be honest, I don't think that's what the author was aiming for. Just from looking at the overabundance of onomatopoeia and mimetic words, it…."
韩素英点了点头，表示同意。那个学生带着胜利的神情继续学习。“作者真的有这样的意图吗？把这样一个浮夸的理论应用到一部充满了蹩脚语法和矛盾句子的小说中，是一种正确的阅读方式吗？老实说，我不认为这是作者的目的。只要看一下大量的拟声词和模仿词，就......”
Han Su-Yeong glanced at the novel she brought along as her teaching material. For sure, it was a work filled with far too many mistakes. The student was carrying a satisfied smile as if he had finally landed a solid body blow to her.
韩素妍瞥了一眼随身带来的小说，那是她的教材。可以肯定的是，这是一部充满了太多错误的作品。那个学生带着满意的微笑，仿佛他终于给了她一个实实在在的打击。
She pondered for a little while. She could've just explained to that student, step by step. However, she chose not to do so. She instead began saying these following words.
她沉思了一会儿。她完全可以一步一步地向那个学生解释。然而，她选择不这样做。她反而开始说下面这些话。
"You're right. Only the author will know the truth."
“你说得对，只有作者才知道真相。”
"But, if you say that, isn't that too irrespon…."
“但是，如果你这么说的话，是不是太冒犯了......”
"What would it be like if someone starts judging you?"
“如果有人开始评判你，你会怎么想?”
"Pardon?"
“什么?”
"That someone might notice your not-very-well washed face, which might be a result of you rushing to get to the lectures on time. Or maybe, they notice your toenails sticking out of your slippers first. And then, they will start thinking like this. Ah, that guy, the way he looks, he must be pretty lazy. And there's no way a lazy person can be smart. So, no need to listen to the opinions of someone like that."
“有人可能会注意到你脸色不太好，这可能是你赶着去上课的结果。又或者，他们注意到你的脚趾甲先从拖鞋里伸出来。然后，他们会开始这样思考。啊，那个家伙，看他的样子，他一定很懒。懒惰的人是不可能聪明的。因此，没有必要听信那种人的意见。”
"W-what are you even…."
“你到底......”
"Or maybe, that student must've studied the contents of today's lecture throughout last night. You can tell by looking at how enthusiastically he's questioning the professor like that. Sure, his outer appearance is a bit shabby, but he might not care about such things, to begin with. Yes, they could potentially think that way."
“又或者，那个学生昨晚一定把今天讲座的内容都看了一遍。你可以从他那样热情地向教授提问中看出来。当然，他的外表是有点寒酸，但他可能不会关心这些事情，开始。是的，他们可能会这么想。”
Han Su-Yeong looked into the student's trembling eyes and continued on.
韩素英看着那个学生颤抖的眼睛，继续往前走。
"Just like what you said earlier, the author of the novel probably didn't think about stuff like this. However, it is up to you to decide on what you'll get out of reading the novel. If you only find trash within, then it'll simply end as trash. But if it can impart just a tiny little bit of deeper meaning to you, then that alone will improve this work in your eyes. Again, it is up to you to decide which one it will be. But I'd really like you to choose the option where you get to 'appreciate' your time a little bit better. If you don't, enduring my lectures will become a pretty arduous slog for you."
“就像你之前所说的，小说的作者可能没有想到这样的事情。然而，这取决于你自己来决定你能从这本小说中得到什么。如果你只能在里面找到垃圾，那么它最终只会变成垃圾。但是如果它能给你带来一点点更深层次的意义，那么仅仅这一点就能改善你眼中的这项工作。再次强调，这取决于你自己来决定是哪一个。但是我真的希望你能选择一个能让你更好地“珍惜”你的时间的选项。如果你不这样做，忍受我的讲座对你来说将是一个相当艰难的过程。”
The student closed his mouth shut and looked back at Han Su-Yeong. It was unknown whether he understood her or not - however, she thought that there was no helping it even if he couldn't.
学生闭上了嘴，回头望着韩素英。不知道他是否理解她——然而，她认为即使他不能理解，也无济于事。
The student's eyes slowly moved this way and that, then he suddenly said something unexpected. "….By the way, Professor? Are you going to write a new novel?"
那个学生的眼睛慢慢地转来转去，然后突然说了一些出乎意料的话。”顺便问一下，教授？你打算写一部新小说吗?”
"Mm?"
“嗯?”
"You said this before, didn't you? You're an author because you write. If you don't write, then you're not an author."
”“你以前说过这话，是吗？你是一个作家，因为你写作。如果你不写作，那么你就不是作家。”
There was a subtle undertone of "I don't have to listen to someone like you who's no longer an author" in his words. Han Su-Yeong didn't reply for a second or two - her unclear, murky eyes seemed to be peering into the distant space.
他的话里有一种微妙的暗示，“我不必听你这种不再是作家的人说话”。韩素妍一两秒钟都没有回答——她那双朦胧的眼睛好像在凝视着远方。
She then disinterestedly muttered out. "Right. I'm not an author anymore."
然后她无所谓地喃喃自语道，“是啊，我不再是作家了。”
"Excuse me?"
“你说什么?”
"I don't have a reader who'll read my work, you see."
“你知道，我没有一个读者会读我的作品。”
Before she could finish the rest of her words, though, the clock's bell went off first. Han Su-Yeong grinned and shrugged her shoulders. "Alright, then. The novel you need to read for the next class is…."
然而，她还没来得及说完剩下的话，时钟的铃声就先响了。韩素英笑了笑，耸了耸肩膀。“那好吧。你下节课要读的小说是......”
She stayed behind on the podium and bade farewell to the students leaving the lecture hall. Her eyes caught a certain text file visible on the screen of the notebook PC currently flipped open. It was a novel she began writing not too long ago as a sort of test. She accessed the file and quietly stared at the sentences she had written so far.
她留在讲台上，向离开演讲厅的学生告别。她的眼睛捕捉到了笔记本电脑屏幕上可见的文本文件。这是她不久前开始写的一部小说，作为一种考验。她打开文件，静静地盯着自己写下的句子。
⸢It was then she sensed a presence from behind her.⸥ "That was an interesting lecture. It'd been nice if that person also attended it, though."
就在这时，她感觉到身后有东西出现了。“那是一场有趣的演讲。不过，如果那个人也参加，那就太好了。”
Han Su-Yeong quickly turned the screen off and looked back only to discover a familiar face. The 'intruder' was using her elegantly slender fingers to carefully sift through the lecture material scattered around the lecture desk.
韩素英迅速关掉了屏幕，回头一看，只见一张熟悉的面孔。这位“入侵者”正在用她纤细优雅的手指仔细地筛选散落在讲台上的讲座材料。
"Ah, this lecture sounds like fun, too. Reading modern fantasy literature starting with Pierre Bourdieu, dissection of romance fantasies with Butler…."
“啊，这个讲座听起来也很有趣。从皮埃尔·布迪厄开始阅读现代奇幻文学，从巴特勒剖析浪漫幻想......”
"Did you come here to look down on a webnovel author?"
“你是来看不起网络小说作者的吗?”
Yu Sang-Ah, slightly tilting her head, smiled brightly. Her smile didn't seem to have changed a bit in the last two years. She deeply peered at Han Su-Yeong, before asking a question. "Why are you wearing glasses all of a sudden? Did your eyesight get worse?"
余相娥微微歪着头，灿烂地笑了。在过去的两年里，她的笑容似乎没有丝毫改变。她深深地凝视着韩素英，然后问了一个问题。“你怎么突然戴上眼镜了？你的视力变差了吗?”
"None of your business."
“不关你的事。”
"Aha, I think I understand. You looked too young and your students were ignoring you, right?"
“啊哈，我想我明白了。你看起来太年轻了，你的学生都不理你，对吧?”
Han Su-Yeong scowled and angrily yanked the black-rimmed glasses off. Yu Sang-Ah teasingly followed that up.
韩素妍皱起眉头，生气地猛地把黑框眼镜摘下来，于相雅继续问道。
"Shall we go? Let me buy you a drink."
“我们走吧?我请你喝一杯。”
*
Two of them walked on the street, one sipping on the iced Americano, while the other, sucking on the peach smoothie. They maintained this awkward distance and focused only on walking forward.
其中两个人走在街上，一个喝着冰镇的美式咖啡，另一个喝着桃子冰沙。他们保持着尴尬的距离，只专注于向前走。
Han Su-Yeong asked in passing. "How's your work with the government? Is it fun?"
韩素英顺便问道:“你和政府的工作怎么样?好玩吗?”
"I'm not doing it for fun, you know."
“我这么做不是为了好玩，你知道的。”
"Who promised to come today?"
“谁答应今天来的?”
"Hyeon-Seong-ssi is currently in the States so it might be difficult for him, but it looks like Hui-Won-ssi will make it. And as you know, Seol-Hwa-ssi is…."
“Hyeon-Seong-ssi目前在美国，所以对他来说可能有点困难，但是看起来Hui-Won-ssi会成功的。正如你所知道的，Seol-Hwa-ssi是...”
"What about the kids?"
“孩子们怎么办?”
"They are coming. They never missed it before, after all."
“他们来了。毕竟，他们以前从来没有错过。”
Not too long afterwards, the familiar street of Gwanghwamun greeted them. They entered a side street, walked for a bit longer, and eventually, found the diner they were looking for. Its name was <<Mark & Selena>>. Han Su-Yeong unhesitantly pushed the door open.
不久之后，熟悉的光化门街道迎接了他们。他们进入一条小街，走了一会儿，最终找到了他们要找的餐馆。它的名字是马克和塞莱娜。韩素英毫不犹豫地推开了门。
"Welcome to… Wow, look who it is!"
“欢迎来到......哇，看看谁来了!”
The one welcoming them with fluent Korean was Selena Kim. Mark expertly spinning pizza dough in the kitchen whistled loudly. She spoke while guiding them inside. "Please wait for a little bit. Your order will arrive very soon."
用流利的韩语欢迎他们的是SelenaKim。马克熟练地在厨房里转比萨面团，大声地吹着口哨。她边说边引导他们进去。“请稍等一下。你的订单很快就会送到。”
"What about the others who arrived before us?"
“那些比我们先到的人呢?”
Selena Kim pointed to the corner of the bar as if to say, see for yourself.
赛琳娜·金指着酒吧的角落，好像在说，你自己看吧。
Three familiar backs of the heads were gathered there. Han Su-Yeong did her best to hold back this certain impatient streak and cautiously sneaked behind the trio. And when she was right behind them, swiftly wielded her hands and pounded on the three heads in a row.
三个熟悉的后脑勺聚集在那里。韩素妍竭力抑制住这种急躁的情绪，小心翼翼地跟在三人后面。当她就在他们身后时，她迅速挥动双手，连续拍打着三个人的头。
"Ouuuch?! Which dumb asshole…?!"
“哇哦?!哪个蠢货...?!”
"Hey, our dear shorties, you've all grown a lot, haven't you?"
“嘿，我们亲爱的矮子们，你们都长大了不少，不是吗?”
"Ah, Su-Yeong eonni! Sang-Ah eonni!"
“啊，苏永永尼!桑阿永尼!”
Since this was their first reunion in almost a year, they shared short impressions on how each other looked. And it really didn't take long before their food arrived, too.
因为这是他们近一年来的第一次重聚，他们分享了对彼此外貌的简短印象。没过多久，他们的食物也到了。
"What did you order, exactly? What's the name of this dish?"
“你到底点了什么?这道菜叫什么名字?”
"The Desolate Cabin's Demonic Intestines Stir-fry."
“荒凉小屋里的恶魔肠子在炒菜。”
Mark bringing out the dish grinned. Han Su-Yeong formed a suspicious expression, before stabbing at the dish shaped like the Korean squid sausage with a fork.
马克拿出盘子，咧嘴一笑。韩素英形成了一个可疑的表情，然后用叉子捅了一下这道形状像韩国鱿鱼香肠的菜。
"What the hell? It tastes great."
“怎么回事?味道好极了。”
As expected of its name, the dish was amazing. Her other companions loosened up and began enjoying the food. How long had it been since they got to sit around and enjoy their meal in leisure like this? Even though two years had passed since they crossed the world-line and returned home, everything still felt like a lie to Han Su-Yeong.
果然名不虚传，这道菜简直棒极了。她的其他同伴放松下来，开始享用食物。他们有多久没有像现在这样悠闲地坐在一起吃饭了？虽然两年过去了，他们越过天涯海角回到了家乡，但对韩素妍来说，一切都像是谎言。
- Oh, ohhh. Wuh-woo wuh-woo, wuh….!
-哦，哦，呜呜呜呜呜呜...！
A TV panel installed above the bar was broadcasting scenes from a live concert. A pretty popular idol group was currently performing there. One of them was a monkey, the other was a dragon, and the last one was an Archangel. The Great Sage wielding the mic delivered an impassioned vibrato-filled roar, which was promptly followed up by the shower of colourful spotlights focusing on the rear of the stage as Uriel made her entrance.
酒吧上方安装的电视面板正在播放现场音乐会的场景。一个非常受欢迎的偶像团体正在那里表演。其中一个是猴子，另一个是龙，最后一个是天使长。大圣挥舞着麦克风发出了一声充满激情的颤音的咆哮，紧接着乌列走进舞台时，五颜六色的聚光灯聚焦在舞台后方。
Yu Sang-Ah elegantly chewing on the intestines muttered out. "They are really popular these days."
余相娥优雅地嚼着肠子咕哝道，“这些日子真的很流行。”
"I joined their fan club yesterday. The Uriel Force is seriously…!"
“我昨天加入了他们的粉丝俱乐部。乌列尔的力量是认真的......!”
When Yi Ji-Hye piped up, Yi Gil-Yeong sent in a quick tackle.
当李智慧尖叫起来的时候，李吉英快速的铲球。
"I can't bear to look at their performance anymore after seeing the one Dionysus has put on, you know? Especially the dude over there…."
“在看到狄俄尼索斯穿上的那件衣服后，我再也不能忍受看他们的表演了，你知道吗？尤其是那边那个家伙......”
"You mean, Abyssal Black Flame Dragon? What's wrong? Isn't he cute?"
“你是说，深海黑火龙?怎么了?他是不是很可爱?”
Shin Yu-Seung asked, and Yi Gil-Yeong narrowed his eyes before replying while chewing on his fork.
申玉升问道，李吉英一边吃着叉子，一边眯着眼睛回答。
"That's cute to you "
“这对你来说很可爱吗?”
The panel was now playing the Constellations' new track. Abyssal Black Flame Dragon sporting an eye patch performed a breakdance routine before exploding into a fiery rapid-fire rap monologue.
小组现在正在播放星座乐队的新曲目。深不可测的黑色火焰龙戴着眼罩表演了一段霹雳舞，然后爆发成了一段火辣辣的说唱独白。
- This is the oldest Fable! Myth sung by the scenario! One man's evolution, fading with time!
-这是最古老的寓言!由剧情演唱的神话!一个人的进化，随着时间的消逝！
"….What the hell is he even singing about?"
“他到底在唱什么?”
While the Black Flame Dragon's rapid rap bars continued to land, a couple more people opened the diner's door and entered inside. Their faces seemed a bit flushed as if they had already knocked back a few cold ones somewhere else. They were Jang Ha-Yeong and Jeong Hui-Won.
当黑焰龙的快速说唱酒吧继续登陆，另外两个人打开餐厅的门，进入了里面。他们的脸似乎有点红，好像已经在别的地方喝了几杯。他们是张夏勇和郑惠元。
"What's this? Everyone was here already?"
“这是什么?所有人都已经到了?”
Jang Ha-Yeong quickly rushed in and caught Han Su-Yeong in a headlock.
张夏勇迅速冲了进来，用头撞了韩素英。
"How have you been?"
“你最近怎么样?”
Jeong Hui-Won lightly high-fived Yu Sang-Ah's offered hand before shifting her gaze over to the panel to say something. "Argh, that rapping is really getting on my nerves."
郑慧媛轻轻地和余相娥击了个掌，然后把目光移向座位上，说了些什么。“啊，说唱真的让我心烦意乱。”
"It's good to see everyone after such a long time."
“过了这么长时间，见到大家真好。”
"Is this everyone for today?"
“今天的人都到齐了吗?”
"Looks that way."
