The metal was cool on Lilican's skin. He tried to struggle, to break free, but the chains imprisoning him to the wooden stake were tightly secured. He looked at his fellow humans, silently calling for help, but he was met with eyes full of hostility, disgust, and anger.
But no fear, no. They were no longer afraid now that the Evil Dragon had been slain.
"Burn him! BURN THE TRAITOR!"
Lilican didn't understand. What did he do wrong? He didn't want to marry the Evil Dragon in the first place, so why were they burning him? Why were they calling him a traitor?
"Why?"
"Your sin is that you did not die at the mouth of the dragon."
Lilican closed his eyes, not wanting to watch as his fellow humans approached with torches.
His life revolved in his mind—from his childhood as a neglected bastard son, to his "married life" imprisoned in the Evil Dragon's castle.
Finally, when the castle was stormed, he was dragged to be tried as humanity's traitor.
This was where it ended, here—his death.
He laughed softly to himself. It seemed that his life's purpose was to be used from beginning to end. He no longer had any use, so it was time for him to be destroyed.
As the fire blazed, consuming his flesh, a face flashed before his eyes.
An otherworldly handsome face, dark hair like the night but eyes more golden than the sun—the Evil Dragon that caused him such misery, why was he thinking about him in his last moments?
A single tear rolled down his cheek. It evaporated from the extreme heat before it could land on the ground, just like Lilican's short life that was cut off before he could bloom.
If he could do it again, would it be different?
–
"Host, wake up. Host, WAKE UP!"
Lilican jolted awake. The system's loud voice was ringing in his mind. The collision of the plot and the system's shout was like a fragile plate hitting the ground. For a moment, all his thoughts were scattered, porcelain pieces flying from his head.
He tried to lift his head, but it felt heavy. Not only his head, but his whole body felt heavy, as if he was sapped of all strength.
Lilican quickly realized that he had been drugged. He tried to lift a finger, and when even that failed, he simply lay down. The bed was soft, quite comfortable, so he decided to conserve his energy by not moving.
"Where am I?" he asked the system.
"We're in the dragon's castle, host. Move quickly. You could still escape!" The system was really nervous, flying back and forth in its host's mental space.
"Escape? Why should I escape?"
"Host, please. That's a dragon. No matter how awesome you are, you can't win against a dragon when you're like this."
"What's the mission?" Lilican asked, more to remind the system, since all the cannon fodder missions were more or less the same.
The system didn't understand why the host asked, but it still dutifully replied, "Change the cannon fodder's fate."
"And do you think escaping can achieve that? How many times did Lilican escape in the original story? Did he succeed even once?"
Instead of answering, the system pleaded, "Host, please, I don't want you to die."
Dying was not the end for taskers as it is for other mortals, but it was still quite painful to die. The system, which had grown attached to its host after doing multiple missions in several worlds, certainly did not want to see its beautiful host in pain.
"I won't die," Lilican said while staring at the ceiling.
The ceiling was painted and embedded with gemstones in the right places, screaming of wealth and luxury. He wondered how long it took to complete such an elaborate piece of art. As Lilican calculated how much a single ceiling like this would cost, a smile slowly bloomed on his face.
Very good, he thought, the Evil Dragon really is rich.
"Host, this is your last mission. We can't fail," the system said, its mechanical voice almost crying.
But Lilican refused to listen. There were so many ways to complete the mission, so why would he choose the hardest path?
"Are there additional missions?"
The system, which was getting pissed at the host's suicidal behavior, no longer answered. It simply opened the system window to show Lilican the mission details.
[MISSION]
Main mission: Change the cannon fodder's fate.
Rewards: ???
Side mission: Stop the Evil Dragon from destroying the world.
Rewards: ???
"Hmm," Lilican murmured as he read the mission, "something's wrong."
"What could be wrong? How can the mission be wrong?"
"But look at this. The main mission is to change the cannon fodder's fate, but the side mission is to stop the Evil Dragon from destroying the world. Shouldn't it be in reverse?"
"What do you mean?"
"I mean, no matter how I change the cannon fodder's fate, I still can't escape dying if the dragon destroys the world in the end."
The system ponders for a millisecond, running various simulations where the main mission was completed, but the side mission was not. It quickly became apparent that the host's words were true, indicating that the main mission was impossible to complete without first completing the side mission.
A system that knows how to admit its mistake is a good system, so it changed its words and said, "Host, maybe this is a bug. I'll send a report to the Main System so they can fix it quickly. Side missions have fewer rewards than main missions. I won't let you suffer like that."
"Good job," he praised his system sincerely, gratified that the system knew how to fight for more benefits for its host.
"Of course, do you not see what I am? I am the amazing System 948!"
Lilican listened quietly to the sound outside the door. Heavy footsteps were coming closer. "Okay, amazing System 948, can you give me an injury on the head? Make it look terrible, with lots of blood."
"WHAT? Why would you hurt yourself? You can't give up like this, host!" The system panicked again, flying all over Lilican's mental space once more.
The footsteps had stopped outside the bedroom door; Lilican didn't have time for the system to dither. "I'm not giving up. It's all part of the plan. Make it believable, quickly!"
The system didn't understand the host's thoughts and intentions, but it still did as asked. Using props from the system mall, it gave the host a head injury that would look tragic to outsiders, even if carefully examined with magic or technology, but didn't actually cause damage or pain.
"I'm going to faint now," Lilican reminded his anxious system, "so don't panic. Do not let the dragon wake me. I have a plan."
And just when the room door opened, Lilican let the drugs pull him into slumber.
He only had a second to catch a glimpse of the tall figure standing by the door.
My evil husband, wait for me, he silently said in his mind, not knowing how much chaos his dying appearance had caused.