"I need to find a way to inform the Sword Saint about the impending calamity," Will murmured with determination. He sat alone at the central plaza of Opera Town, watching people move around blissfully unaware of their doomed future.
[yeah… sure, go ahead and knock on his door. maybe ask for his daughter's hand in marriage while you're at it]
Will's eye twitched. "If you can't help, then shut up."
[oh boy… but I can help… HAHAHA]
The system's laughter echoed arrogantly in his head before a shimmering shop panel unfolded like a scroll made of light.
[Divine Mail
Cost: 1 SP per 100 miles (160.93 km)
Deliver your letters to ANY corner of the universe in under a second]
Will blinked. "Okay, this is… actually good. But I don't have any SP, and you haven't assigned any missions."
[don't worry ~ leave it to me. just make sure to kneel and bow 10 times praising me after this is done]
A loud ding chimed inside his mind.
[mission assigned]
[# MISSION 1
Task: place a system binder on the chosen one
Difficulty: even my cat can do it
Reward: 100 SP]
—
[# MISSION 2
Task: twerk in public
Difficulty: EX
Reward: 1,000,000 SP]
Will froze.
His face twitched.
His soul twitched.
"The second mission is a troll. I accept the first one. Delete the second."
[are you sure, host? that 2nd mission will never appear again~]
The mocking tone was shameless. The system almost sounded hopeful that Will might degrade himself publicly.
Will's expression cooled to sub-zero. "I advise you to do as I say… unless you have a death wish."
[tch… fine]
[#Mission-1 accepted]
With the annoying matter settled, Will stood from the plaza bench and carried on toward the Opera Orphanage
The place that brought the continent's future protagonist.
The orphanage stood at the end of a quiet lane. Snot-nosed kids ran through the patchy grass, shrieking with laughter.
The building behind them was humble, crooked floors, chipped walls, and windows that rattled with the slightest breeze.
A nun approached Will soon after he stepped inside the premises. She was a middle-aged woman, warm-eyed and gentle-faced. Her presence alone could soothe even the most troubled soul.
"My child," she greeted. "Do you need something? Are you lost?"
Will lowered his gaze and spoke softly, "Today… is my birthday. So I… came to donate."
The nun, Nancy, froze for a second, her eyes widening. A boy of twelve, thinking of charity when he himself looked bruised and weary? She had never seen anything like it.
Her expression softened into a radiant smile. She placed her warm hand on his head, gently ruffling his hair, then cupped his cheeks.
"You may not know this, dear," she whispered, her voice trembling slightly, "but your heart is pure. Do not let the darkness of this world extinguish that gentleness."
Will stood stunned for a moment.
Sister Nancy… no wonder Ethan mourned you so deeply in the novel. Anyone would.
He felt a faint ache in his chest, but he pushed aside the sentiment. He couldn't afford attachments.
With a small nod, he reached into his pocket and extracted several silver coins.
"This is all I have," he said softly, voice full of boyish innocence.
Nancy's smile turned tender as she motioned toward a small donation box in the corner.
"Please place it there. The children will be blessed because of your kindness."
After depositing the coins, he turned back to her. "Can I… meet them? The children?"
"Of course." Nancy wiped a faint tear and led him to the play area.
"The young ones usually stay here. Feel free to walk around. You can talk to them as well. They'll be happy to have a new friend."
When she left, Will's entire demeanor shifted. His eyes sharpened. His warm expression faded into cold calculation.
"System," he muttered, "how do I place a binder on Ethan?"
[quite simple ~ just feed him your blood]
Will froze.
"…Well shit."
Will stared blankly at the group of laughing, sticky-faced children, then back at his own thumb, then back at the kids again.
"How," he whispered, "am I supposed to feed him my blood?"
[you're smart, host. I believe in you. I mean, I don't, but theoretically I should.]
Will ignored the jab, rubbing his temples.
"I guess I'll have to mix it into food or water…" He scanned the children again, looking for the face burned into his memory from the novel, the protagonist, Ethan.
But all he saw were random kids eating dirt, chasing each other, or picking their noses with a zeal that made him question the future of humanity.
He approached a little boy sniffing loudly, snot dripping down to his lips.
"Do you know where Ethan is?"
"No," the boy said, wiping his nose on his sleeve before repeating, "No."
Will stared at him for a second.
Wonderful, Truly reliable
Thus began Will's painstaking search for the continent's future savior.
He checked the tiny dormitory hall filled with cheap straw beds.
He checked the kitchen, where a Nancy was burning porridge so thoroughly it became charcoal.
He checked a room that smelled so foul he nearly gagged, turns out someone had tried storing frogs under their mattress.
But there was still no sign of Ethan.
Hours passed....
The sky began turning shades of gold and crimson as the sun dipped toward the horizon. Will walked along the outer fence of the playground, mind heavy.
"Tsk." He clicked his tongue. "Where the hell is this brat? In the novel, he should be here right now.."
Thud.
A dull sound cut through the air.
Will immediately tensed, his hand almost clenching as he got ready to summon his crossbow from the inventory. He turned toward the source.
A small figure had just climbed over the perimeter fence, dropping into the playground.
A boy with a swollen cheek. Torn shirt. Dirt-streaked knees. Limping slightly.
Blonde hair.
Green eyes.
Will's eyes widened.
That's him.
That's Ethan.
The protagonist.
The chosen one.
The catalyst of countless future catastrophes… and triumphs.
Will's heart stilled for a moment, not in awe, but in calculation.
There you are.
The boy didn't notice Will at first. He glanced around nervously, wiping his cheek with the back of his hand as though trying to hide the swelling. The bruise was fresh. Someone had hit him recently-hard.
Probably the local bullies.In the novel, Ethan had always been the quiet, weak kid unlucky enough to attract the worst kinds of attention.
Ethan took a hesitant step forward… then paused, shoulders trembling faintly.
Even without reading his expression, Will could feel it - the kid was used to hiding pain.
Too used to it.
Will exhaled slowly, stepping forward.