Life has always been unfair to me since my birth.
My father abandoned me and my mother as soon as I was born.
We went through many economic crises, my mother tried to be happy with another man, but he never truly loved her.
"A warm body for the moment," that's what I heard him say to his friends.
And when I thought I was lost, I met the one I thought would be the father of my children.
But, he turned out to be just like my mom's boyfriend.
So, in this new opportunity, in this world, I decided to separate myself from cowardly and pathetic men, and just be me.
Everything would be fine.
Until the protagonist appeared to save me.
"…Every woman hates this kind of world, but you..."
He said.
I hate it too. I'm no different than any other woman. However, if it means proving that no man can play with me…
"I know."
This life hasn't been so bad.
And I wanted to preserve it as long as I could so I could continue living the life I always wanted.
Until now.
_
I opened my eyes.
I saw a light, too white, and I know I'm not dead, when I died I didn't see a light that bright.
"What am I doing here...?" Ah, that's right; I absorbed Raum into my body to seal him there temporarily...
Shit, I need to find Mandeleine so he can exorcis…
"Eh?" In front of me, I could see someone I knew well.
Too well...
A woman approximately five feet tall or shorter, with piebaldism; brown eyes, short wavy dark hair, dressed in a black skirt, shirt, tie, high stockings, patent leather shoes, and characteristic green glasses and sweatshirt; the last thing, not always being there...
Liam Yoon Hee, Anser Ciro's love interest.
But what's she doing here? She's supposed to be trapped with her evil aunt and cousins...
"H-He's awake!"
"Eh?"
BONK!
I felt something hit my head; a vase was slammed into it.
But it wasn't enough to make me unconscious.
"Liam, what are you doing?" Behind her, Anser appeared. He placed his hand on Liam Yoon Hee's shoulder, "Did he do something to you?"
Eh?
"N-No...it's just...that...I don't trust him that much..."
They already speak to each other with such confidence?
"Okay. Now I'll dissect him."
"I'M NOT DEAD FOR YOU TO DO THAT!"
But, really...has the prologue already happened?
I didn't even get to the prologue yet, but seeing him and Liam together, maybe they even already...
"Are you two dating?" I asked, hoping to get an answer without sounding so nosy.
Looking at their faces, I didn't see much of a hint of that; Anser's face remained expressionless, while Liam Yoon Hee frowned.
"No," Anser answered, then threw a sweatshirt at me, "She is my secretary."
Secretary? Did I hear that right?
"You shouldn't give this guy too many explanations...h-he looks dangerous!" Liam muttered, hiding behind Anser.
Her attitude is the same as in the novel; submissive, shy, and quiet.
But still...
I feel like something is wrong with her.
"I saw him absorb a demon...the least we could do is wait for Walpurgis Night to give him as an offering."
"THAT'S TOO CRUEL!" Liam and I exclaimed.
Although, I saw his point; being an offering to demons on Walpurgis Night, the night when all the hunters went into action for a massive demon hunt...
Be the offering so that the demons are attracted to the demonic energy that I now possess...It's not a bad idea either.
But, I don't know if that's what he means, or if he means literally offering me up as an offering for the demons to eat.
"W-We should take him to Mount Fang…there are exorcists there…" Liam suggested.
A dangerous suggestion.
Since Mount Fang is where her aunt and cousins live, they are exorcists, but they do everything except exorcise...
It's weird. She's not supposed to know me, not know Elmetron, and yet she wants to drag me to my final death by going there.
Does she really...not know what she's saying?
"…" Anser seemed to think about the idea for a bit, then grabbed his sword and coat.
That meant one thing.
He would do what Liam said.
-
I walked behind Anser, while Liam walked behind me, keeping his gaze fixed on me.
It felt like torture; walking barefoot through the woods...knowing that death awaited me...
Although, with the demon inside me now, it doesn't guarantee an easy death, that doesn't mean they're going to torture me, and she knows it! I'm sure she knows it! Liam, why are you doing this to me?!
"It's up the hill, Mr. Detective!" Liam exclaimed, looking around, somewhat fearful. "A-And beware of demons..."
The last stutter stayed in my brain. For some reason...that sounded...
No. It's impossible.
Liam was the typical weak girl, but with an unbreakable spirit despite all the adversity she went through with the constant abuse from her aunt and cousins.
But, she right now...she didn't seem like that scared girl at first glance, instead, she made me think she was someone else, and not the person I wrote about ten years ago in that prologue.
"Eh? Are you visitors?" A woman's voice stopped us, immediately, Liam stood in front of Anser to talk to the girl.
The woman was wearing a light blue dress and a straw hat, and her blond hair over her shoulders.
"Y-You see...umm...our 'friend' was possessed by an evil spirit, and we came to find the Hee Family so they could help us..." she said, then carelessly took some gold coins out of her sweatshirt pocket, taking a few. "We can pay you if you want, just tell us where to find-"
Soon, steel bars rose up around Anser and me, enclosing us, and then lifting us up to the height of a tree.
Anser drew his sword, at that moment, the woman in front of us brought a dagger to Liam's neck, making the coins fall to the ground, and stopping Anser.
"Wow, who would have thought I could find two fascinating creatures with such energy? I'm having my lucky day!" Soon, behind us a steel hand took the cage, squeezing it, making Anser and I stick together with force. The steel of the cage rubbing against my back just like Anser's back.
Liam's face turned into one of fear.
"But what are you d-?!"
"Shut up," Liam frowned as she saw that the dagger was now even closer to her neck. "You brought us two good bunnies, we needed them to practice, so I'll consider letting you go." Soon, she pulled Liam away, giving her the freedom to leave. Another steel hand appeared behind the woman, she, sitting on the palm of the hand.
Liam turned to look at her, her face full of fear, but also nervousness inside. She knew she was too weak to face the woman, too weak to run to the city, too weak to call for help…
When I created her, that's how I wanted her to be: weak to protect, naive to manipulate, and innocent to kill.
Many said it was a fetish, but it really wasn't. My mother was like that. Too weak, too naive, and too innocent.
But, inside her, like everyone else, there was that spark that would destroy that concept that was imposed on her, Liam, would destroy what I wrote for her.
I just didn't have the time for her to realize it.
"Liam, get out of here! Go back to the city. Now!" Anser shouted, trying to save her.
But did she really have salvation? Salvation for what I, the author, made her for?
I don't believe in her. I don't believe in her few talents. I don't believe in her strength. I don't believe in her life.
It would have been better not to have written it, and to continue the story without her.
But, she doesn't need my acceptance, my words of contempt, if she accepts that she's a damn burden.
She got up from the ground, pulled a glass bottle from her sweatshirt, and threw it at the woman. "I won't run away!" She exclaimed, that fear fading away, replaced by an adrenaline-filled feeling of courage.
The bottle exploded upon impact with the woman's steel hand, releasing smoke that spread for a few meters around.
"…Playing at being brave, huh?" The woman crossed her legs, while watching her, "Nice try, but you're too weak. Listen to this man and leave. I'm disgusted by people who display false courage."
Soon, another steel hand appeared beneath Liam, about to grab it, something impacted against the steel, piercing it and inactivating it, leaving the hand buried in the ground before it could come out.
Everyone was perplexed, even me.
A bullet? A bullet capable of piercing steel?
Could be...?
"Who else is there?!" The woman stood up, his confusion was visible. "You, brat..." With a few long, big steps, she landed in front of Liam, grabbing her by the collar and lifting her up with one hand, making the little Liam kick in the air. "Tell me, how many more did you bring?! How many more?!"
Liam made a confused face, and I understand, I don't even understand where that bullet came from.
But instead of giving her an answer, Liam drove a stake into the woman's rib, causing her to let go of her shirt.
Immediately, Liam went towards us, searching through his sweatshirt for a bottle, "Don't worry, Mr. Detective, I'll melt the steel with some potion, I swear!"
Anser grunted in disagreement. "I told you to run away..."
Liam smiled slightly, "I can't...I lured you here knowing the danger...I'm guilty, more than I should be, so I shouldn't run away…"
Anser's eyes widened in surprise, staring at her in disbelief. He couldn't believe that someone he considered weak would consider taking him to a place where he was sure to be ambushed… "You...what?"
"I'm sorry, but I'll get you out of here! Really!" She said, managing to get the potion she was looking for.
As she was about to open it, blood gushed out of her mouth.
Shit…!
"What are you going to do, bunny?" The woman was behind her, the stake now slowly piercing Liam's stomach, until it could pierce through his shirt. "You thought you were brave, you should learn a lesson for not being careful…"
Liam fell to her knees on the floor.
She looked up; she looked at Anser, searching his gaze to see his reaction. However, it wasn't the reaction she wanted; Anser didn't move to help her, didn't move to protect her, he just looked at her, almost with disdain.
Anser believed she had betrayed his trust, and he was right, she had.
And Anser has a sensitive heart, which for others would be something unimportant, but it did affect Anser.
It affected him more than he could express.
"What's up? You're not going to release them just because the cute guy doesn't like you anymore?" The woman mocked, kneeling down beside Liam, and holding her, offering 'comfort' that was obviously just a mockery. "My poor baby, did the handsome boy make you feel sad~?"
Soon, the woman's laughter echoed throughout the place, the now dying Liam on the floor, Anser not even looking at her now, and me...
"Could you please finish already?" I said between laughs, the woman turning to look at me, "Those laughs burn my neurons..."
The woman snorted, getting up from the ground, her dress now stained with blood.
"Hmm? So you're also looking for a fight, huh?" But, as she took a step, she stood still. "Eh-?" She had barely realized it, after these five minutes, that she had been poisoned by the bottle Liam had thrown at her earlier.
By opening a wound, she only gave the poison another entrance.
Liam knew what she did. Now, both were teetering on the same rope.
"I-I really…" Liam struggled up from the floor, holding the dagger out of his stomach, then forcibly pulling it out, blood gushing out. "…d-don't need a man's help to save me from this..."
Soon, she took off his sweatshirt, taking ten potions from inside, placing them in her hands, "Y-You should be scared of this expert drug addict…!"
The woman turned to look at her, her veins starting to turn purple, her fingers taking the same course, and her eyes starting to turn red.
On her face, her brows furrowed, then she raised her hand; beneath Liam, another steel hand appeared, which managed to grab her.
However, that didn't stop Liam, the five potions in her left hand broke along with her arm when the hand squeezed her, but with the five potions in her left hand she drank them.
Soon, the steel hand began to melt, as the flesh on Liam's body began to unravel from the heat that began to form, blood pouring from Liam's mouth.
On the other side, the woman also began to spit blood, the steel hand weakening, and leaving Liam free; Liam took advantage, and immediately ran towards the woman, taking out another bottle of potion from under her skirt and drink it, then punch the woman in the face, sending her flying into a tree, breaking it with the woman's body.
The woman spat out more blood, as she began to bleed from her rib. However, Liam didn't stop there, walking towards her, still bleeding, but still standing, taking out another potion and drinking it; her skin melting and her broken arm beginning to heal.
At this point, I couldn't figure out how many more potions Liam had hidden.
"Y-You're taking too many potions...you'll die if you keep taking more, idiot!" However, Liam didn't listen, taking out another potion and throwing it at the woman, hitting her in the face.
The woman fell back to the ground, then began to scream in pain, fire starting to catch in her hair.
A fire-causing potion? Wow, this girl is clever.
Turning my gaze to Anser, I could see that same depressed look I had seen him with the last time; an expression that suggested how alone he felt, especially now, with the 'betrayal' of his unreliable secretary.
"Damn…" I murmured, "How do you feel?" I dared to ask him, taking advantage of the uncomfortable position we were in; both of us pressed chest to chest and unable to even move our hands. "I mean, your secretary betrayed you, or I don't know...that's why I don't have secretaries."
I wanted to joke about the last part, but seeing Anser look even more depressed, I knew it didn't work.
"…She didn't betray me..." He muttered, though with his tone, it was obvious it was the opposite. He really felt betrayed.
"Are you angry?"
He shook his head.
"Are you sad?"
Doubtful, but shook his head, denying.
I sighed...
This man was really difficult...it was like talking to a child.
"So, you're staying here? You're not trying to help her."
"I'm not strong...I'm weak to protect her..."
Now he is belittling himself? How bad is he really?
"I would help her for a hug, wouldn't you?" In the novel, Liam always comforted Anser with a hug, maybe that's what he needs right now to recover.
Anser looked at me, somewhat doubtfully, and then said, "Would you do that?"
"Yeah."
Yes, I would also like to hug Liam, the Liam I created...this Liam, she is completely crazy!
Returning to the fight, Liam watched the woman burn with fire, then drank another potion, and walked towards her, then began to step on the wound on her rib to make it bleed more.
I could tell what she was planning; to attract demons with the smell of blood and fire.
At least Liam got my hint about the 'burning' thing.
Although, I didn't think she was that cruel.
The trees began to move, indicating that a demon was approaching, Liam stepped back, falling backward to the ground, exhausted from being injured and even worse...
After forcing her body to drink so many potions.
After drinking so much she should be dead, it's a miracle she isn't.
Anser soon managed to pry the steel hand away from us with brute force, managing to bend the fingers and lower we both.
I immediately ran to Liam, took Anser's coat off and put it on Liam's wound to stop the bleeding. Fortunately, the wound was starting to close after all the regeneration potions Liam had drunk.
Shit, I can't let her die...not here...not now...
"Anser!" I looked back, and as I did, Anser turned around, offering his back to carry Liam. At least he wasn't angry anymore... "We must do it quickly, the poison is still flowing, and the demons will not be long in coming."
He frowned, then nodded. "…I know."
_
The worst thing I could have done was become a drug addict.
I knew a woman would never allow herself to sink so low over a simple heartbreak...
But then why me?
Why did it affect me to that extent?
Was I so bad as to fall over something as small as a little heartbreak and fraud from the one I thought would be my beloved forever? That I would die with him in a coffin full of flowers?
But, in the end...
I don't remember how I died.
Maybe it was because I was so high at the time. I ended up not being able to distinguish between reality and fiction.
When I read Mr. Detective, and saw that the female protagonist was someone weak, just as weak as me, just as dependent...ah, is this how they see us?
I'd like to change it...
Change her destiny, her personality, make her...better than me, better than everyone, the best of all...
She deserves it after all. I don't want the novel to end with Liam getting hurt. I want to protect her, even though I'm just as weak as her, or even weaker than her.
Perhaps it was that desire that led me to reincarnate in her body.
I am truly in love with Liam, and I will give him the life I always wanted to have.
No one understands a woman's heart, no one understands a woman's mind, except the woman herself.
I'll give everything for her. For the end of my days…
That's fine, right? If I'm only doing it out of love, I shouldn't care about anything else, right?
And that's what motivates me to continue, that love for her...
For her life...
For my…life.
_
It's been a week since Liam confronted that woman.
Her condition was very serious, and we took her to the doctor. Fortunately, she was out of danger, managed to wake up, and apologize to Anser, although as always…
It's not like he accepted the apology. Or well, that's what he wanted to pretend, since he was really very happy to know that she hadn't betrayed him.
And this week, I learned to read Anser...
When he's happy, he closes his eyes for about five minutes, when he's sad, he looks at the ground, and when he's upset, he's colder than usual. It's an achievement that took a lot of work, since it's really difficult to understand what this man who always has the same face feels.
"Umm…Ji Noo?" Liam's voice pulled me out of my thoughts immediately. I looked at her, seeing her leaving the hospital, with her hand bandaged but conscious, I sighed… "Thank you for bringing me here, thank you very much..."
I could feel her nervousness.
She already knew my secret, or rather, she must have suspected it; She knew Elmetron, I realized it when I saw her and how she reacted.
And I, too, know her secret.
It was easy to tell that she wasn't Liam Yoon Hee, after all, I could tell by seeing that when that woman attacked us, Liam didn't notice that that woman was her evil cousin from the novel.
"You don't need to thank me much, it was easy to convince Anser to bring you here," I said, then started walking, Liam starting to follow me behind.
"I mean it...not many people do that kind of thing for me..."
I sighed, I don't know who this girl is, but...
She really made Liam a brave woman, she exceeded my expectations.
Perhaps, I should take note, a brave Liam would be a great development for the end of the novel...
"You're just like me, right?" Liam broke the tension between us, "I mean...you're not...you're not Elmetron, are you?"
She was truly a surprise, I thought no one would suspect she wasn't from this world, but if this girl could...
"You're right, I'm not Elmetron, just like you're not Liam Yoon Hee."
Liam looked away, embarrassed. "I know I didn't act like her... b-but Anser was in danger and..."
"You don't have to worry, I did something stupid to save his ass too…"
"Eh? What did you do?"
"Do you remember Raum?"
Liam made a scared face, stopping in the path, "D-Don't tell me that...!"
"Yeah. But, now I just need to go with the Rosicrucians."
"But it's Raum! Not just any demon!" She exclaimed, crossing her arms, and closing her eyes, thinking, "Furthermore, in the novel Raum has not yet been exorcised from Anser's sword..."
She was right. I didn't write a success in the exorcism of his sword, that success... well, in my draft it ended with Anser ultimately failing to free Raum from his sword.
However, it was a draft, I doubt that a draft ever came to life in this world...
…
"Besides..." Liam said, "Do you think we will…survive?"
"Hmm? If you remember the novel well, yes. Why do you-"
"But, there is no ending in the novel…"
That…
"We don't know what will happen after the last published volume."
…
It's true.
I never even got around to writing the ending in a draft.
However, I did plan the ending.
And I hope it doesn't happen.
I don't even know if the changes in this story...
It's true!
"Did you also notice the changes? We're supposed to be in the prologue, but...why doesn't Anser have any members in his sect? Why is Anser so depressed?"
Liam blinked, then swallowed, "I-I don't know, when I opened my eyes, I was in a wagon full of straw...I didn't even appear on Mount Fang..."
What?
"What were you doing in that wagon?"
"I don't know…"
Maybe the same thing happened to her as to Elmetron? I can't get into his memoirs yet...but maybe...
Perhaps there are more people like us, reincarnated in the bodies of characters from this story, and they are making changes to it.
Is that even possible?
I should have read more transmigration novels...
I'd like to know if there's really anything good in this; If that planned ending were to come...both Liam and I were in danger of dying forever.
Besides that...
Anser continues to get depressed, and if he continues like this, he won't be able to face that end, especially now that this girl is in the body of his beloved.
"...Could you be Anser's lover?"
"No. Not in a thousand years, I believe in my independence."
"You answer so confidently that it even scares me…"
This would be a problem...
"You should be his lover if you don't want history to change, but I wouldn't do it again." How funny.
Me, Anser lover?
I doubt it will work.
"That's not really important, I was able to get rid of the threat of Raum, but, following the story...Walpurgis Night is soon approaching."
Liam nodded, then gave a little jump, "It's true! Have you already found out who fired the shot?"
"Huh?"
"Yes! The bullet that hit the steel of the woman I killed earlier!"
This girl says those things without a shred of remorse...
But he's right. Another thing was that bullet.
Who could have been with us? Capable of stopping something so big, like steel...with a single bullet?
There are many things that need to be fixed to put the story back on its original course, and perhaps avoid the ending I had planned.
Although, now I'm not alone, eh?
Maybe she is my first friend after twenty years without any friend.
"Come on, we need to make sure you recover before the main event of the story…"
"Yes sir!"