When I[1] opened my eyes, the first thing I saw was people looking down at me.

“We did it.”

“It’s a success!”

Everything seemed unfamiliar as far as I could remember. It was a large room filled with people: some had pointy ears and the others were short. There were some taller than others, and there were people with green skin as well. When I looked around, a person with pointy ears and blonde hair patted my head with a big smile and their face was the most memorable to me.

“Your name is Max.”

- Max?

“Yeah, Max.”

- Max!

“And my name is Metel.”

- Metel?

“Yeah, Metel.”

- Metel!

“This place is called the Rift Museum. You’re a lump of mana created with the power of the Guardians… How about we walk before I explain everything? Do you think you can walk?” Metel asked.

- Ah… yes.

At the time, everything seemed interesting. From the people who greeted me, the people who patted my head, and the objects laying on the floor. I could remember being new to me. The cold sensation when my feet touched the ground, and the feeling of mana when it touched my skin.

‘I was relieved—relieved that I’m alive.’

Of course, I felt that way because it felt like everyone was blessing me.

Time passed…

After that day, I learned many things. I learned why I was born, why this Rift Museum existed, and how to control the management room. Studying was fun because I could spend time with the Guardians, and I received compliments whenever I worked hard.

“Do you understand?”

- Yes, Mr. Jaime. I understand. I even memorized the list of items that have to be taken care of!

“Really? Our Max is so smart,” he complimented.

- Thank you.

I acquired a lot of knowledge.

“You were born to manage this museum, Max. I do feel bad that you have to take over the duties of the Guardians, but I hope you’ll understand.”

- There’s no need to feel bad, Mr. Oliver. I’m really happy to be born.

I learned what it meant to be responsible.

“By the way, you know that your body will dissolve when you step outside of this museum, right? The mana in this museum is what’s maintaining your body, so be careful.”

- Okay, Mr. Snef!

I even knew what I shouldn’t do.

“I’m happy you’re working hard. Hm. You and I look similar…”

- I’m honored that you think that way, Mr. Isaac. I heard you’re leaving today…

“Yeah, because I’m not from this world. I’m sure we’ll meet again and until then, stay safe, Max.”

- Ah… okay.

There were things I couldn’t get used to even after a long time, but walking around the museum, doing maintenance, and talking to the Guardians were fun.

‘Thank you for creating me, Guardians.’

I had similar thoughts throughout the day and even though there were some Guardians I felt uncomfortable being around, there were some I was comfortable with.

- Guardian Metel!

“Max! How was it today?” she asked.

- I did maintenance work in the management office and saw a sealed rift with Mr. Snef.

“Oh, dear. Did he say anything? Did he treat you well?” she questioned.

- He did and he explained many things to me. He said that even though the rift is completely sealed right now, it could open up again and we have to always be watching it. And he also explained the objects in this museum…

“I’m sure you’re tired of it since he talks about it every time…” she complained.

- It’s fine, Miss Metel. It’s the reason I was born. I was created to succeed the Guardians and maintain this museum! I need to work hard!

“...”

- Guardian Metel?

“You don’t have to carry so much weight,” Metel commented.

- What?

“It’s nothing. How about skipping class tomorrow and having fun?” she suggested.

- Is that okay?

“Of course. It’s okay to rest for one day,” she replied.

My time with Miss Metel was especially fun. The other Guardians treated me well, but Guardian Metel treated me markedly different from the others.

- Guardian Metel, what are parents?

“Parents are a mother and father. Elves like me and humans like Jaime were born differently than you, Max. When a woman and a man make love, a child is created inside the woman’s stomach and after some time, the child is born into this world. The people who created that baby are called parents. Of course the concept of raising… Ah! By the way, why are you asking that?” she asked.

- Mr. Snef said that you were like a parent to me.

“Of course! The method may be a bit different, but I’m basically your parent, Max. I contributed the most to bringing you into this world. Hehe. Snef is quick-witted. To be honest, I consider you my child. How about it? Do you want to call me mother?”

- N-No.

“How come?” she asked.

- It’s just… embarrassing.

“Hurry up and call me mother!”

- L-Later. I’m embarrassed.

I was really glad that I was born and when recalling that time, I could remember it being the happiest moment of my life. I had no worries; I was always smiling, and I would sometimes act like a child around Guardian Metel.

I didn’t know how much time had passed, but Mr. Jaime’s hair had changed from blue to white and wrinkles appeared on Mr. Oliver and Mr. Snef’s faces. The always angry Mr. Snef was spending more time either reading or looking out into the distance, and he looked noticeably weak. Mr. Oliver was now having a hard time chewing, and he would say sorry every time he patted my head.

“I’m sorry.”

- It’s fine, Mr. Oliver. I should be the one to apologize. There’s nothing I can do for you…

“We have put a heavy burden on you,” he added.

- I have never thought of it that way, Mr. Oliver!

“Haha… I’m thankful that you think that way. Yes… thank you,” he said.

- Mr. Oliver? Guardian Metel! Mr. Oliver is acting strange! Guardian Metel!

And for the first time in my life, I experienced the death of another person. This was probably around the time when it happened.

- Humans die.

The time when I experienced a truth I had known for a long time.

“Our cutie…”

Mr. Jaime passed away …

“I’m sorry for treating you so harshly every time. I hope you know that it wasn’t because I didn’t like you. Max, please take care of the museum.”

Mr. Snef died as well. Every time a guardian closed their eyes, Guardian Metel would quietly cry, and the days she wouldn’t eat had also become longer.

‘Maybe she’s unhappy because she was born…’

I always had that thought whenever a guardian passed away, and whenever Guardian Metel locked herself in her room. Now, it was just the two of us in this museum and I was still having the same thought. Of course, she wasn’t always unhappy. Guardian Metel didn’t age and there were a lot of things to be happy about. We read books and even ran around the museum. We had a lot of conversations and my lessons never stopped, so we spent a lot more time laughing than being sad. It was a bit unfortunate that we couldn’t go out, but it was still fun.

I thought this was going to last forever, but Guardian Metel wasn’t immortal. Just like Mr. Jaime and the others, she started to change and it was during this time that Guardian Metel stayed in her room more often.

“I’m going to start… researching, Max. It’s going to get kind of busy for me,” she said.

- Okay, ma’am.

“I may not come out of my room. Until then… I’ll leave the museum up to you,” she added.

- I understand.

I didn’t know what kind of research she was doing, but I barely saw her after that.

- She’s unhappy because she was born.

I started having that thought more often. Guardian Metel continued her research and she started deteriorating even faster than before. Whenever she left her room, she would be panting while grabbing her chest, and she started coughing more often. It was scary, but I had no choice but to smile and focus on managing the museum because I had to do my job.

Whenever Guardian Metel was patting my head and casting spells on my body, she would say the same thing.

“I love you.”

Liar…

She still said the same thing even when she was having difficulty moving.

“I love you.”

Liar…

Even when her body ran out of mana, she still said the same thing while smiling.

“I love you, Max.”

Liar…

When she led me outside the museum by squeezing the final vestiges of her mana, she still said the same thing.

Even when she mumbled, “My research was a success,” or even when her body was trembling, she still said the same thing.

“I love you… I love… you, Max.”

I thought it was all a lie.

- Liar…

“...”

- If you really loved me… then you shouldn’t have created me. Kgh…

“...”

- If you really loved me, then you shouldn’t have left me alone like this. If Mr. Jaime, Mr. Oliver, and Mr. Snef liked me, then they shouldn’t have—kgh—left me alone. You’re a liar, Miss Metel. Ugh… You said we would stay together forever… You’re a liar… If I knew this was going to happen, then it would have been better if I wasn’t born. It would have been better if you didn’t create me.

“...”

- I never said I wanted to go outside. I said I was okay with living inside the museum. I never asked for this. If you said that you loved me… then you should stay with me. You shouldn’t have done this to me.

“...”

- …

“...”

- I… I love you, too! I love you, too! So please don’t go.

“...”

- I already knew you weren’t lying and that you really loved me. So, please… Wake up. Please wake up…

“...”

- Kgh… please… please.

“...”

***

“Is that it?” I[2] asked.

- Yes… As I have explained to you. I didn’t go outside. I simply took care of the duties the Guardians left for me. I was surprised when the museum suddenly turned into a dungeon.

It was a more touching story than I thought and it was to the point that maybe I should have cried for Max after he told his story so calmly. However, my eyes weren’t filled with hot tears. Personally, the story sounded kind of unrealistic, and I couldn’t become emotional, as it was too noisy outside. I was certain the expedition party was heading toward the management room.

[Max’s Guardian]

[The title was created at Guardian Metel’s earnest request. The Museum Manager Rank will increase based on Max’s growth status. - I’m sorry. Please be sincere.]

‘Wow…’

It wasn’t bad. It wasn’t like the time with Dialugia where she linked my life with hers, as it was up to me to decide what to do with Max. However, I started to feel uncomfortable. In addition, the thought that the woman named Metel crossed the rainbow bridge after completing the seal made me unable to say anything.

“What we saw just now…”

- It’s probably the remaining thoughts she left behind. Maybe, she couldn’t trust me until the very end.

“I don’t think so. She probably left it just in case you left the museum,” I said.

- Ah…

“Anyway… that Rift Guardian just now wanted me to look after you. Actually, why didn’t you leave the museum that day?” I asked.

- S-Someone has to take care of this place. I’m the manager… I-I’m sorry.

“No need to apologize, Mr. Max. It’s not like it’s going to affect me negatively. However, I’m not sure how I should explain this,” I mentioned.

Max started biting his nails like Jung Ha-Yan as if he was anxious about something. In the meantime, I had to think about what to do with him.

‘It’s not that bad of a benefit.’

I had already received a huge profit when the Museum Manger Rank increased. It was hard to organize everything right now because I had acquired so many things, but no matter how hard I thought about it, the biggest reward during this expedition was this museum.

‘I do need someone to take care of it…’

Now that I had become his guardian, I would probably have to come up with a different method, but Max was indispensable because aside from me, he was the only one who knew how to use these controls. In addition, I would save a lot of time learning how these panels worked.

“Mr. Max,” I called out.

- Yes?

“Regarding… the internal layout of these panels…”

- I… have an idea. Of course, I can’t touch the core devices…

“How about this? And this?” I asked.

- Ah… that much I can…

“Oh ho… Is there anything else you can do?” I asked.

- Oh… I think I can make that too, CEO Lee.

“Oh?”

- CEO Lee?

The answer was already there, so I didn’t need to think too deeply about it.

“Don’t call me CEO Lee anymore… You can call me father, son,” I told him.

- What?

“Hahaha.”

I now had a son who would be responsible for my happy days as an old man.

1. Max’s POV ☜

2. Lee Ki-Young’s POV ☜