I tried presenting a question to my imaginary readers for once, but of course, there was no pop-up translucent window displaying comments in front of my eyes.
Honestly, I expected as much.
If this were a web novel, we’d only just finished episode 6.
Even with regular serializations, you’d usually have about ten chapters stockpiled, and for platform-exclusive works, don’t you need at least a hundred chapters before you can launch?
‘So even if this is a novel, there’s no way there’d be real-time comments already!’
Anyway, instead of picking from the given choices, I plan to go with a fifth answer.
Option 4 would destroy Karbaldr’s character, and option 3 would force me to reveal I’m the author of the novel—definitely not something I want.
But if I choose 1 or 2, I’d have to explain to Reysir that “the genre of your life is a twisted, grim, dark fantasy.”
“The main character is upbeat and cheerful, and the simple writing style makes the books comfortable to read—aren’t those the strengths of that author’s works? Yet you talk about those parts negatively. You have no respect for the things you like.”
I shamelessly praised myself.
I figured I needed to say at least this much, so Reysir would stop worrying unnecessarily and lower his guard toward me.
Thankfully, it seemed to work, as he opened his mouth with an embarrassed expression.
“I think that’s a strong point of Star Author’s novels too, but when I recommended them to a friend, the response was really bad…”
“……”
At this point, the protagonist only has one person who could be called a friend, and she’s a noble.
Ordinary nobles would value dignity above all.
They’d likely prefer books you slowly savor and ponder, like the ones I found at the start of the library’s novel section, rather than snack-culture web novels you can consume lightly.
‘Besides, this is a fantasy world where educational opportunities are concentrated among the nobility. Of course, only novels that suit their tastes would have developed here!’
It’s no wonder the web novel style feels foreign. And people tend to reject what’s unfamiliar.
On top of that, web novels are full of clichéd tropes and settings, and references to “modern” things pop up all the time.
My second work is even set in the modern world.
‘In other words, the barrier to entry is sky-high for people here…’
I really don’t know how Reysir ended up reading a novel I wrote.
While I was debating whether to ask, Reysir questioned me instead.
“Anyway, if you’re really a fan of Star Author, you must have read 《The Gate in My Novel Swallowed the World》 too, right?”
“I wouldn’t say I’m a fan, but I did read it.”
“Then tell me the plot.”
Reysir looked at me as if he’d believe me if I passed this verification.
No matter how persistent a web novel protagonist is supposed to be, this was too much.
‘Shouldn’t I be the one interrogating him about that novel? Why am I the one being grilled here?’
“That’s the novel where the protagonist, who’s also the author, finds the hunter novel he wrote overlapping with reality, and the ending is actually—”
“W-wait! Why are you jumping straight to the ending?!”
“It’d take too long to explain every detail.”
“…You don’t have to go into detail. Especially not the ending.”
I knew he’d react this way if I tried to spoil the ending.
From the context, it was obvious Reysir hadn’t finished my second completed work yet.
‘More importantly… I guess I was right?’
I’d hoped that the novel in the protagonist’s hands wasn’t one I wrote, but since he didn’t point out anything wrong with my summary, it must really be mine.
“Do I have to talk about the other works too? The first one, 《A Healing Life Raised by the Protagonist》, is about a reader who possesses the body of a child, gets picked up by the original protagonist, a hero, and becomes a real family member after acting as his little sibling. The third one, 《How the Repentant Villain Saves the World》, is—”
“No spoilers!”
“I was just about to say I haven’t read that one yet. I only recognized the title because I saw you borrowing it just now.”
I tilted my head and crossed my arms, replying with a posture that said, “After all this, surely you believe me now?”
I subtly let my dissatisfaction show.
To be honest, I just wanted to end this conversation quickly and go back to my room to sort out my thoughts.
Surviving is my priority, so I’ve been dancing to the original protagonist’s tune, but my head was a mess.
‘Why do I have to prove to a character from someone else’s novel that I’ve read my own books?’
“You really did read all of Star Author’s books, huh? Except for the newest one.”
“Well, it’s only two works anyway.”
“But in terms of volumes, that’s almost a hundred books, isn’t it?”
“But they’re easy to read, aren’t they?”
“Do you like other novels in that genre besides the ones by Star Author?”
“I do, but…”
‘Why does Reysir keep asking me these questions?’
I stared intently at the person in front of me, wondering about his intentions.
In the library, he bristled with more spikes than a hedgehog, unable to hide his hostility and wariness.
But now, he was speaking in a surprisingly calm tone, as if nothing had happened.
Even his expression as he looked at the body I’d possessed showed almost no trace of disgust.
‘Not that he’s treating me warmly or familiarly, but it’s like he’s reacting to something new and curious.’
‘Should I say the psychological distance has shrunk dramatically, or that his heart has softened?’
Either way, it was clear that Reysir’s evaluation of Karbaldr had changed.
Maybe he’d accepted my fake apology, decided to forgive the possessed body, and put the past behind him? Or maybe sharing similar tastes in novels broke down his guard…
‘No way. That can’t be it.’
In novels, there’s a cliché: “The thing you think is least likely is usually the answer.”
Just as I realized that, the original protagonist, true to form, made the cliché come true with some nonsense.
“Now I get it. You wanted to read your favorite books with someone and talk about them, and I just happened to catch your eye, right?”
Reysir said this as if he was introducing someone else.
“So you wanted to be friends with me, but since you didn’t try to get close like the others, I had to approach you first. Not knowing how, you tried to get my attention by bothering me!!”
That wasn’t an introduction—it was just a wild guess, way off the mark.
To spout such nonsense so confidently…
If anyone overheard and spread rumors, I’d be the one embarrassed.
I instinctively looked around, but thankfully, there was no one in the corridor outside the library.
“Karbaldr. That’s not how you make friends.”
Reysir looked at me with pity and exasperation.
Seeing that, I almost blurted out, “I know, you eighteen-year-old brat!”
But I held back.
I didn’t want to get into a pointless argument.
‘I can’t believe he’d misunderstand ‘wanting attention’ like that…’
As a writer, I knew the importance of subjects in sentences, but I never thought he’d actually take it the wrong way.
After all, who tries to befriend someone by tormenting them, then frames them for causing trouble to get them suspended?
That’s what you do to get rid of someone you dislike, not to keep someone you like close.
I thought he’d pick up on the rumors about my shaky position in the family and guess, “You must be desperate for your father’s attention!”
I felt a dull headache and let out a deep sigh.
Then I brushed my bangs aside and met Reysir’s eyes.
“I don’t want to be friends with you. In fact, I’d prefer to just be an extra in your life.”
“An extra…?”
“I never want to get involved with you again. Even if we see each other in class, I want us to just blend into the background and pass by each other.”
“So when you were the one picking fights and bothering me…?”
The original protagonist, who’d been bullied by Karbaldr for an entire semester, looked utterly baffled.
Wearing this body, I couldn’t even make excuses, so I chose to change the subject instead of arguing.
“Anyway, I’m the type who keeps my thoughts about books to myself. I’ve never even thought about discussing them with anyone. So drop this weird idea that I bullied you because I wanted to be friends. Who would believe that if they heard it?”
“So, uh… Are you embarrassed because I saw through your true feelings?”
“Do I look like it?”
“No… But if that’s not it, I just don’t get it.”
If he’d just left it at that, it’d be fine. Why the “but”?
If I let this misunderstanding go, I might get stuck with the “protagonist’s reading buddy” role that didn’t even exist in the original.
And then, one day, I’d probably die.
Even if I somehow avoided death, there’d only be more problems waiting.
If I stayed near the death-bringing protagonist of a killing novel, I’d inevitably get close to people destined to die soon.
And when the protagonist suffers from their deaths, I’d have to suffer right alongside him.
To avoid such a disaster, I had to clear up this misunderstanding right here and now.
“What exactly don’t you understand?”
“Why did you, who had nothing to do with me, bully me for a whole semester, then show up right when I was standing in front of that bookshelf, reveal you liked the author of the book I was holding, apologize to me, and then say you realized you couldn’t get my attention by bullying me? And now you’re saying my guess is wrong?”
Hearing Reysir’s summary, I had to admit it was only natural for him to misunderstand.
The place and timing were just too coincidental, and I really did say things in the worst way possible.
Yet I still expected him to understand perfectly—’I should reflect on that.’
‘What do I do now…?’
I ran simulations in my head, weighing my options.
[Option 1: Admit that his guess isn’t wrong.]
This one’s easy to predict without much thought.
Unless Reysir has become so traumatized by people dying around him that he fears getting close to anyone—which isn’t the case yet—he’d want to be friends and start a book club with me.
‘Especially since, as I mentioned, Reysir only has one friend right now.’
The other kids distanced themselves from Reysir last semester because he was Karbaldr’s bullying target.
So if Karbaldr became his friend, the others would probably stop avoiding him.
Not only would it fix his ruined social life, but he’d get a friend with similar reading tastes.
That’s an offer he wouldn’t want to miss.
‘…Let’s move on.’
[Option 2: Explain everything truthfully from the perspective of the possessed body.]
Karbaldr was jealous of Reysir.
Reysir’s parents died protecting him, and now his guardian truly cares for him like a real son.
So Karbaldr tried to get his father’s attention and vented his frustrations by bullying Reysir.
If I explained this to Reysir, he’d be angry and upset at first.
But as the good protagonist he is, he’d eventually try to understand Karbaldr’s loneliness and end up forgiving him.
And since we happen to share reading tastes, he’d probably want to be friends.
‘No matter which option I choose, it all leads to the “book buddy ending.” What am I supposed to do?’
Telling Reysir that I liked my own novel was a bad move—a really terrible one.
If so…
[Option 3: On the day of the semester opening party, when all the students are gathered, just grit my teeth and insult both my novel and Reysir together.]
My survival instincts screamed at me not to choose this under any circumstances.
Reysir’s resentment would skyrocket.
On top of what the possessed body already did, I’d be adding betrayal, and when Reysir gets stronger later, he’ll definitely come looking for me to settle the score.
And the verdict would, of course, be execution.
Besides, if a bunch of people joined in to criticize my novel, my fragile heart would be shredded.
In other words, picking this option would kill not just my body, but my soul too.