Chapter 221
The hero, Choi Leejun, who refused to follow the predetermined scenario and sought to change his fate, used the Devil of Power to turn back time.
Maya, the god of stories, designated him as a 'villain'.
'So you've even decided the method for Choi Leejun to break free from being a villain.'
Stripping away the authority of storage.
As if it were the only way to save Choi Leejun from the villain's fate, Maya had inscribed it plainly in the hint.
'What a self-centered lady.'
Luca inwardly cursed Maya as he looked at Choi Leejun, who was full of hatred.
The boy standing before him now was a mere 17-year-old kid.
Such a kid, who had been forced to labor and beaten by people with whom he couldn't even communicate for two months—how could he not be brimming with malice?
His hands and feet were chafed, and the skin around his eyes and lips seemed to have split and healed repeatedly, leaving scars.
On top of that, there were scar-like marks around his ankles, evidently from having worn shackles for so long.
"... Just as you said, killing those people wouldn't be hard at all."
"Then hurry and...!"
"But you've seen for yourself how they've lived these past two months."
Luca spoke indifferently.
"It must have been extremely difficult for them to give up precious food without any compensation. And they couldn't communicate with you, so they didn't even know your situation. I'm not saying their actions were justified, but it's also hard to say they deserve death for it."
Choi Leejun fell silent at Luca's words.
He actually knew.
He knew well that those villagers were poor, living day to day on what little they could earn.
Despite that, when he'd asked for food, someone had willingly given him something to eat.
Nevertheless, Choi Leejun gritted his teeth.
"Still, what I did wasn't so wrong that I should get beaten that badly."
Even considering all that, the punishment Choi Leejun received was excessively harsh.
Luca nodded in agreement.
"I understand your resentment. So I'll give you a chance for revenge."
"A chance for revenge?"
Choi Leejun tilted his head, and Luca stated flatly,
"Revenge carried out by someone else is meaningless. I'll train you so you can return what you suffered to them—no, so you can grow even beyond that. If you still want revenge then, do as you wish. I won't stop you."
At Luca's words, Choi Leejun hesitated.
Then he bowed his head slightly and muttered,
"Yeah... I should take revenge with my own hands... Once I'm strong, then I'll get my revenge...!"
The burning hatred subsided somewhat in his eyes, replaced by anticipation.
"God said it. That I have a strong will, and can manifest tremendous strength in this world! So I should be able to get strong soon enough!"
As Choi Leejun continued to mutter to himself, Luca pulled out a bracelet enchanted with a translation magic that Ottbo had prepared in advance and handed it to him.
"I don't mind, but you won't be able to communicate with others. Wear this."
"This is...?"
"If you wear it, you'll be able to understand other people's speech."
At Luca's explanation, Choi Leejun's eyes widened as he gratefully accepted and put on the bracelet.
Luca spoke in the continental common tongue.
"Can you understand me now?"
"... Wow."
It was a language he clearly didn't know, yet he could understand it, leaving him surprised.
"Ottbo. Let's start heading back."
"Okay!"
At Luca's words, Ottbo brought out the auto-carriage.
Seeing the auto-carriage, Choi Leejun was bewildered.
"Wait, there's a carriage here?"
"The official term is auto-carriage, but there's not much difference."
Luca smirked at the startled Choi Leejun, then hopped into the front seat and said,
"It's best to fasten your seatbelt tightly."
"Why? I'm in the back..."
"It doesn't matter if you don't. You'll end up doing it anyway."
Luca buckled up, leaned against the window, and grinned slyly.
"You'll want to, eventually."
"Starting off!"
Within seconds, Choi Leejun understood all too well what Luca meant.
* * *
"You drove quite slowly this time."
"There was a first-timer, after all."
The three arrived in Havok as dusk was falling.
Normally, they would have arrived by now, already finished another task, and been off to have a meal, but this time Ottbo had considered the rather pitiful state of Choi Leejun and driven slowly, hence the late arrival.
"This was...driving slowly...?"
Choi Leejun was fastening his seatbelt.
"I've never ridden anything this fast even in Korea...!"
Ottbo tilted his head as he looked at the dazed Choi Leejun.
"Where's Korea?"
"It's a place. Anyway, let's get some food first."
The three walked a bit before finding a suitable restaurant in Havok.
Seeing the city streets lit up by lamplight, Choi Leejun's eyes went wide.
"Is this...really another world...?"
"It's a lot different than what you expected, right?"
Luca nodded as if in agreement with his reaction.
Soon, the three of them entered a restaurant.
The food came out quickly.
"Wow...!"
Admiring the spread, Choi Leejun couldn't suppress an exclamation.
It made sense—up until now all he'd eaten was something like thin soup or simple staples like unseasoned potatoes and corn.
In contrast, the dishes now served were real meals, made with plenty of ingredients and spices and cooked with proper technique.
With a look of awe, Choi Leejun picked up his fork, but then hesitated and glanced at the others.
Luca spoke flatly.
"Don't worry about us. Eat."
"... Thank you!"
Choi Leejun eagerly began to eat.
As he devoured the food with smacking noises, both Luca and Ottbo wore somewhat complicated expressions.
"Mmm... So good..."
Eating while nearly in tears, Choi Leejun must really have been through a hard time these past two months.
"Let's get some more orders."
"Yeah."
Even though Luca had ordered plenty, considering how much he usually ate, it still didn't seem enough.
They ordered additional food, and only after Choi Leejun finished everything did he show a satisfied face.
"Ah... I feel alive again..."
"I've never seen anyone eat as much as Luca."
Staring at the empty plates, Ottbo exclaimed in astonishment.
Luca simply shrugged and looked at Choi Leejun.
"I'll find a house near here for you. For now, stay nearby. And later, take the entrance exam for our academy."
"Academy?"
Choi Leejun made a sour face at Luca's suggestion.
"So I have to study here too?"
"...."
Luca's expression became subtly complicated at that reaction.
― When your training ends, you'll be attending the academy.
― Huh? The academy? I have to study here, too?
― Life is endless study. But the academy isn't just about studying.
It was a conversation from the original story.
'Somehow I've ended up in the protagonist's master position too.'
Luca smiled faintly, then spoke.
"Yes. But at the academy, you'll have a different experience from the boring school life you had on Earth."
"Wow. That actually sounds fun."
"But you still need to have a certain level of ability to get in."
Luca's gaze turned cool.
"I'll teach you swordsmanship. Build up your skills enough to pass the academy entrance exam."
"S-swordsmanship?"
Choi Leejun looked flustered.
He averted his gaze slightly and said,
"Not to brag, but I even skipped gym class back home..."
"I know you're not very athletic. But whether you use magic or anything else, you need a basic level of stamina first."
Ottbo nodded in agreement with Luca.
"But still..."
Choi Leejun glanced at Luca nervously.
"Um... I was chosen by god, you know..."
"Strong will or whatever? Yeah, I know. You'll need to learn swordsmanship if you want to make use of that, too."
Luca's tone was matter-of-fact.
After a moment of hesitation, Choi Leejun steeled himself.
"Alright. I'll give it a try!"
― Let's just give it a shot.
The protagonist, Choi Leejun, who had grown weak after two months of terrible experiences since arriving.
But the personality that Luca liked was still there.
Watching him, Luca chuckled softly.
"... Good."
Now, it finally felt worthwhile to help.
Then Ottbo, who had quietly been regarding the two of them, tilted his head.
"By the way, did you two just meet for the first time today?"
"Well... yeah?"
"But it feels like you know each other really well."
Only now seeming to realize it himself, Choi Leejun looked at Luca.
"Is it because... you're a guide...?"
Because he was a guide.
He figured that at least some things about him would be known.
Still, there was something unclear.
"But... how do you know about Earth?"
The way Luca spoke, it sounded as if he knew about Earth.
And he'd spoken Korean at first, so fluent it could fool anyone into thinking he was a native.
"...."
Luca was silent for a moment,
unsure how much to reveal.
Then he realized,
'In this world, only this guy and I know about Earth.'
Until now, he hadn't really thought about it.
He'd been focused on the people he met here, the things he experienced, and the tasks he had ahead of him—there was no time to dwell on the past.
But what about when everything was over?
Wouldn't he think back to the past, then?
And not having anyone to talk to about the place he once lived, wouldn't that be terribly lonely?
Luca looked back at Choi Leejun.
Unlike himself, who possessed the body of Luca Traverse, Choi Leejun had come here in a body exactly like his own from Korea.
He might boast that he's handsome, but to Luca, he just looked like an average high school kid—a typically Korean-looking face that felt nostalgic.
He was probably Luca's only connection point to his past in this world.
"... Well."
To make sure Ottbo couldn't understand, Luca spoke in Korean.
"Just think of me as your 'senior'—another chosen one from the same dimension as you."
"...!"
It was the easiest way to explain.
* * *
Choi Leejun seemed to have a lot of questions, but, exhausted from everything that had happened, he fell asleep almost immediately.
After taking him to a local inn,
the two returned to the academy.
After roughly explaining the situation to his friends back at the academy, Luca went back to his dormitory.
'Because he's the protagonist. Because I used to like him. Those are the reasons I tried to save him.'
Back in his room, Luca gathered his thoughts.
'Now I have another reason to protect him, aside from just that.'
The reason to save the guy called Choi Leejun.
He was now the only person on the continent who understood him.
'And in order to save him—'
Luca pulled out his phone.
He looked at it quietly.
"...."
Once he made up his mind, Luca immediately launched Chatcall.
Trrrr, beep!
― Hello! Dear reader. Do you have any questions for me?
He was connected to Maya, the god of stories.
Luca replied flatly.
"Pick one, god of stories. One option is for you to give up your will and erase all hints concerning Choi Leejun."
― Huh? But that's...
Maya tried to object, but Luca cut her off.
"The other is that I kill myself right now and Choi Leejun takes my place."
-... What?
It was a choice between despair and despair.
Luca presented Maya with two options, neither of which she would want.