Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Kevin lived a simple life.

He lives with his sister, Cyrene, in a small and humble apartment located somewhere in Aedes Elysiae, a relatively small city amongst Amphoreus as a whole.

Despite living in such a small city, Kevin has made a name for himself. He was once a small-town artist, carving out a living by painting grand commissions for wealthy clients from the bigger cities while juggling smaller fandom-fueled requests from the internet.

It was a risky move on Kevin’s part, there were certainly ups and downs during his time as a struggling artist. If it weren’t for Cyrene’s constant support for him while also being his biggest sponsor for all of his art supplies, Kevin might have dropped all his artistic dreams a long time ago and pursued something else to help support his family.

But thankfully, all of his endeavours came bearing fruit as Kevin managed to become one of, if not the most successful, artists from all of Amphoreus.

All under a pseudonym as Phainon.

Outside of his artist job, Kevin proudly calls himself a good brother. With his sister’s oftentimes busy schedule, he’s taken most of the household chores in his role as a dedicated stay-at-home sibling. Well, everything except cooking. Cyrene had banned him from ever entering the kitchen after the last incident that may or may not have involved smokes coming out from their shared kitchen.

To the outside world, he is Phainon of Aedes Elysiae—a renowned artist whose brushstrokes are said to breathe life into every canvas he has touched, turning a mere painting into something otherworldly.

But at home? He is simply just Kevin. A doting little brother enjoying living his life to the fullest with his sister.

Kevin lived a simple life, and he was very content with it.

So imagine his surprise when Kevin one day finds himself waking up in a body that most definitely wasn’t his.

From his observation, the body he’s now in was undoubtedly shorter, scrawnier, and unsettling delicate. His hands, now round and pudgy, almost adorable looking too. Caressing his new face, it was indeed chubbier, albeit not by a lot, thanks to how skinny this body is. Did the original owner of this body even take care of himself properly?!

His surroundings were also, to nobody’s surprise, very foreign to him. The walls were translucent, an unbroken expanse of pure crystalline texture beaming across the room. So flawlessly smooth that one’s reflection could be displayed perfectly without imperfections, maybe the last part was a bit excessive, but can you really blame him? This place was like it came straight out of some kind of fantasy story or something!

…

Wait a second.

It can’t be, right?

Surely, he must be dreaming.

He nudged his new face, the sharp sting that soon followed confirmed it—this wasn’t a dream. Definitely not.

No no no, it cannot be.

He carefully slid down from what Kevin assumes to be a klinai, walked towards the nearest wall, trying his hardest not to trip over how slippery the floor is and accidentally knock over the nearby tables, scratch the last part, he may have knocked over a table with a tray full of fruit that are now lying down on the ground, that’s not the important part, he walked towards to the wall and—

He finally saw himself, or rather, this new self of his.

A young boy, who looks to be not older than ten. Soft, snowy white locks with two strands standing out that are somehow very much akin to his original body’s hair. Bright sky blue eyes with a tinge of innocence, donning his new face, reminiscent of how he once looked during his youth. He is currently wearing a simple, white, elegant long robe, covering most of his body, while barefoot.

Actually, this new body of his is basically a one-on-one replica of how he looked back when he was a kid, except for the dressing part. Cyrene had once mentioned he was a fashion disaster known to mankind. But to Kevin’s defence, he thinks bright yellow and dark purple are a good match cause the colours contrast with one another, speaking from his years of practicing colour theory, of course.

Kevin stood there in front of the wall in awe, not from amazement, not from excitement, but from pure horror.

Why is he in this strange and unfamiliar new place, stuck in the body of a child no less? And not just any child… but a child that looked exactly like him?!

Kevin, without exaggeration, almost fainted on the spot.

It wasn’t long before someone called out to Kevin, which snapped him back to this new reality. “Hello!”

The sudden greeting scared Kevin out of his trance, facing the direction of the sound, what greeted him was a… pink rabbit? Not just an ordinary pink rabbit, but a walking, or to be more precise, floating, talking pink rabbit, wearing a cutesy white dress.

The pink rabbit flew closer to Kevin with an excited gleam in its eyes. Kevin, on the other hand, instinctively tried to back away, only to forget how slick the floor was beneath him and slip. With a startled yelp, he went tumbling down. Now his back is on the floor, groaning in pain as his body is now that of a child, very delicate, and cannot sustain even the slightest fall.

Why was the floor so slippery in the first place anyway? This remains one of the many mysteries that are left unanswered.

The pink rabbit scooted over to his face, hiding its giggles in the process.

Kevin looked at the pink rabbit with an annoyed expression. He asked the floating creature, managing to squeak out a sentence, “Who are you?” Even his voice sounded like how he used to sound as a child. This is getting more and more uncanny.

The pink rabbit did not reply, instead, it held out its own little small bunny paw towards Kevin, seemingly wanting to help Kevin back up.

With no other choice, Kevin sighed. He took the pink rabbit’s paw and used it to steady himself as he climbed awkwardly back to his feet.

After the embarrassing first meeting, more on Kevin’s part anyway, the pink rabbit finally introduced itself. “My name is Memoire Emanation Module, but you can just call me Mem!”

Kevin looked at the pink rabbit, dumbfounded. He stared at it like he had somehow encountered some kind of strange mythical being, “Memoire… what and what now?”

“Mem already told you, just call Mem, Mem!” The pink rabbit named ‘Mem’ repeated. “Mem will be your personal assistant,” Mem explained, “guiding you through every step of your journey to survive in the world of—”

“Wait—hold on just a second.” Kevin cut in, still trying to wrap his head around to process what the actual heck had just happened. One moment, he’d found himself inside someone else’s body, and not just someone completely random, but someone who, bizarrely, looked like a younger version of himself. And the next, this strange pink rabbit creature calling itself ‘Mem’ was suddenly announcing itself as his personal assistant, to what exactly?

It was as if Mem could read Kevin’s mind, it immediately  knew what to say, “Mem sees that you are still confused,” Mem said, “but not to worry, Mem is here!” Mem proudly proclaims. Unfortunately, that does not reassure Kevin even the slightest.

“You are currently possessing the body of a character in a novel,” Mem explained like it’s the most normal thing in the world, “Your goal is to survive as the character in this world!”

“Wait—so, how… no, why did I end up here in the first place?” Kevin finally asked, and Mem answered without missing a beat

“'Cause you died, silly!”

…

Huh?

What do you mean he died? As a matter of fact, how did he even die in the first place?

“I… died?” Kevin gasped, stunned even. He was certain he hadn’t done anything to warrant himself getting killed. Heck, he barely even goes outside!  The only few times he went out were the occasional art exhibitions, which required him to show up for publicity's sake. So what could’ve possibly caused his death?

Okay, sure, maybe Kevin might have had a habit of overworking himself back in his own world. But he has sworn to at least keep his nutrients department intact. More or less, his body was probably still in shape for the most part.

Mem watched as Kevin spiraled into denial as if it were a normal occurrence that had happened many, many times. With one flip of its paw, it pulled up a sci-fi screen and began to read aloud, slowly and clearly: “Phainon, an ordinary office worker from Janusopolis, Amphoreus. Cause of death: car crash at midnight, courtesy of being drunk.”

…

Kevin wasn’t an office worker, nor was he from Janusopolis of Amphoreus, and his real name isn’t even Phainon for Aeon’s sake.

“Uh,” Kevin started, “My real name isn’t Phainon… Phainon is actually just my pseudonym… It’s Kevin. Kevin, born and raised in Aedes Elysiae of Amphoreus.”

A heavy silence hung between them before Mem slowly turned to Kevin, now with a look of utter terror. “... Your name isn’t Phainon?”

Kevin stared back at Mem with a deadpan look on his face and answered truthfully, “Nope.”

“… you sure?” Mem asked once again, double-checking if he truly isn’t Phainon from Janusopolis of Amphoreus.

“Yes, I’m very sure.” Kevin doesn’t know whether to laugh or cry. Of course, he’s sure. Who, if not himself, would know, well, himself the best?

“… Mem messed up.” Mem groaned. Hastily, it began typing out a rapid sequence of what looked like encrypted codes, then flicked the screen upwards, anxiously waiting for a response.

It wasn’t long before another screen appeared. Mem quickly scanned through the contents intently, eyes darting over every line of code before swiping the screen away with a defeated sigh.

“Mem sincerely apologizes for the mess Mem’s carelessness has dragged you into,” it said quickly. “I tried appealing to my higher-ups, but… it seems they’ve decided Mem needs to reap what Mem has sown,” it added, voice tinged with bashfulness.

So, even creatures like Mem have a system hierarchy like in the human world. How amusing.

Wait, that’s not even the main issue here, he is currently stuck in what, a novel character’s body, in this novel world. All because of a mistake made by whatever shrewd system was running things in the so-called upper world.

Kevin silently thanked whoever was up there, not.

“Hey, Mem can hear your thoughts very clearly!” Mem flailed its two tiny paws in the air while kicking its two stubby little bunny feet.

Wow, so Kevin can’t even monologue in peace now without someone, or something, always reading his mind.

“Okay, so… how do I get back to my original body?” Kevin finally decided to ask the important question, “… and back to my world, of course.”

Mem put on its serious thinking face, with paws under its chin and all, as serious as a pink bunny creature can get, at least. It wasn’t long before Mem had an idea.

“There is a way…” Mem said, eyes lighting up. “If we complete all the questlines originally meant for the real Phainon—the one who was actually supposed to be in this body. Then, logically speaking, you should be able to return to your original body and world!” it explained, beaming in excitement.

As cheerful and delightful as Mem’s expressions are, Kevin remained unconvinced. But if anything, his desire of wanting to go back home weighs heavier than his suspicion. Whatever method it may be, he has to take it. After all, his sister will probably be worried sick about him. What would she think, seeing a lifeless and unresponsive body of Kevin lying there, soullessly. It sends Kevin a shiver the more he thinks about it.

“Don’t worry, time runs differently between your world and this world,” Mem quickly interrupted, “Your sister wouldn’t notice your sleeping, assumed dead body!”

That. Okay. Sure. Whatever the hell Mem had just said.

“How… assuring.” Yep, Kevin is still not convinced, but there’s no better option, is there? So he might as well just follow whatever Mem just suggested.

Mem gently patted Kevin’s back, attempting to comfort Kevin, “Look, Mem is very sorry, Mem will try their best to help Kevin with this situation!”

“Okay, so how do we get started, and what do I need to do?” Kevin asked Mem, which Mem responded by bringing back the sci-fi screen up onto the air, but this time it’s facing Kevin, and instead of strings of cryptic codes, it’s now intelligible words that Kevin can understand.

[#WELCOME USER: PHAINON#]

I AM THE SYSTEM, YOUR TOOL FOR ALL YOUR TRANSMIGRATION NEEDS.

HOW CAN I HELP YOU?

“Welcome, this is the system!” Mem announced with a flourish. “It’ll show you everything you need to survive this world—questlines, progress, rewards, you name it!”

“All you have to do is think the word System at the back of your head, and it’ll appear whenever you need it. Go on, give it a try!” Mem said, closing the interface and motioning Kevin to test it out.

Kevin focused, mentally saying the word System, and just like that, the familiar sleek sci-fi interface materialized before him.

[#WELCOME USER: PHAINON#]

I AM THE SYSTEM, YOUR TOOL FOR ALL YOUR TRANSMIGRATION NEEDS.

HOW CAN I HELP YOU?

Mem clapped its paws together, clearly impressed by Kevin’s quick grasp of the system. “Only you and I can see the system,” Mem assured him, “So you don’t need to worry about other characters noticing it.”

Neat, so this is similar to those weird fantasy novels that Cyrene has in her collection of books. Stories about humans with strange powers and mysterious interfaces guiding their every move.

“Alright, now you've got the basics down, let’s move on with the tutorial!” With a quick clap of its paws, the interface is now filled with new lines of text.

[#TUTORIAL#]

QUEST: SHAKE Mem’S PAW

TIME LIMIT: NONE

REWARD: 5 GOLD

PROGRESS: INCOMPLETE

The quest seemed simple enough, Kevin thought. But then he noticed the two words, time limit, something that looked like it had headache written all over it.

Mem extended out its paw, waiting expectantly.

Without any hesitation, Kevin reached out and shook it. A soft ding followed, signalling the completion of his tutorial mission.

[#TUTORIAL#]

QUEST: SHAKE Mem’S PAW

TIME LIMIT: NONE

REWARD: 5 GOLD

PROGRESS: COMPLETE

>CLAIM REWARD<

*NOTE: YOU HAVE 48 HOURS TO CLAIM YOUR REWARD*

…

What.

Not only will there soon be a time limit for his quests, but there’s also a time limit for accepting rewards?

What kind of scummy cheating system is this?!

“Due to past users abusing the feature of relaying their rewards for future uses, our higher-ups have made the hard decision of implementing a time limit to the reward system,” Mem explained, while slowly averting its gaze from Kevin’s sharp glare. “We appreciate your understanding in this regard.”

“Anyways, woohoo, you have completed your first quest! Congratulations, you truly are a fast learner!” Mem quickly changed the subject, “Now hurry and claim your reward before it expires!”

Kevin let out a sigh of resignation and claimed the five coins from his quest.

[#INVENTORY#]

COINS: 5

ITEMS: NONE

“What do I do with the coins?” Kevin curiously asked, Mem's eyes glistened even more, “Oh, we’re getting into the good part!”

With another clap, the interface expanded, stretching downward like a digital menu straight out of a restaurant, rows of options now neatly placed before him.

[#SHOP#]

WELCOME TO THE SHOP!

*STOCK REFRESHES EVERY 24 HOURS*

Mana Potion - 5 Coins

> Regenerate 10 Mana points

Energy Drink - 10 Coins

> Temporarily raises speed

Regeneration Stew - 15 Coins

> Slowly restores health over time, the taste is debatable

Chill Pill - 20 Coins

> Grants high ice resistance, but is vulnerable to fire attacks for a set time

Body Cloak - 50 Coins

> Grants invisibility, effects last until the wearer removes the cloak, one-time use per purchase

Mem continued to guide Kevin, “Go ahead and try buying the Mana Potion by using your newly earned coins!”

Mana… what now? And what are all these absurd items in the listing?

Well, whatever, Kevin needs to get this over with anyway.

Kevin hovered his hand over the interface and tapped on the Mana Potion. In an instant, the item was added to his inventory, and the selection for the item on the screen changed to read: SOLD.

[#INVENTORY#]

COINS: 0

ITEMS: Mana Potion

“Great, now try using the Mana Potion by tapping it!” Mem instructed.

Kevin tapped on the potion. A small glass vial filled with blue liquid materialized in front of him. He picked it up, hesitating briefly before popping the cap and downing the liquid in one gulp.

The taste was… odd. Not exactly bad, but also not exactly pleasant either. Before Kevin could dwell on it, a sudden surge of energy rushed through him. A tingling sensation spread across his body, leaving Kevin unsure whether it felt exhilarating… or mildly unsettling, maybe somewhere in between the two.

Mem looked at Kevin and giggled, “Don’t worry, silly. That’s just your body reacting to the sudden rush of mana entering your body!” Mem said cheerfully. With another clap of its paw, the interface shifted again, replacing the screen with yet another wall of text.

[#STATS#]

HP: 100/100

MANA: 10/100

STATUS CONDITION: NONE

“These are your stats!” Mem announced proudly, Kevin just stared at the interface, bewildered at what he was currently staring at.

“What happens if my health drops to zero?” Kevin asked, still looking concerned.

“Simple, you will die! Both in this world and your world!” Mem answered innocently.

…

What is this? Some kind of RPG game? And apparently, Kevin also needs to take care of this poor excuse of a body? A body that weirdly resembled a younger version of himself, no less?!

And if he’s not careful, he could die? Seriously?! He was at a complete disadvantage here! What kind of messed-up excuse of a system was this supposed to be?

What did he even do to deserve all of this? Did he accidentally anger some Aeons out there to warrant him getting this kind of treatment? Actually, treatment sounds way too nice, this is more akin to torture!

“And that’s everything you need to know about the system!” Mem quickly concludes, leaving a poor Kevin trying his absolute hardest to process all the information that had just been dumped on him.

Rewinding everything, Kevin tried to piece together what he knew so far.

First of all, he was stuck in the body of a child that, while eerily similar to his own, definitely wasn’t his.

Second, he seemed to be trapped in some kind of fantasy world, judging by the ancient architecture around him and the fact that there were apparently mana potions and stuff like that existing in this world.

And lastly, perhaps most importantly, his only ticket back to his real world was to complete quests assigned by this ‘scummy cheating’ system… all while trying not to die along the way.

While Kevin was deep in thought, Mem swiped the interface away, causing Kevin to avert his focus back to Mem. “Now, let’s return back to our original introduction,” it said with theatrical flair.

Placing both paws firmly on its hips, it spoke, “My name is Memoire Emanation Module, but you can just call me Mem!”

“Mem will be your personal assistant,” Mem repeated once again, “guiding you through every step of your journey to survive in the world of this novel, titled…”

“The Crown Prince Throned in Blood.”

Chapter Text

The Crowned Prince Throned in Blood.

The name certainly feels familiar, alright. It’s as if Kevin has heard of this title somewhere before, back in his own world.

Working up his brain, Kevin tried to recall where he had heard of this book’s name. Was it a random book he brushed by in the library? Or was it some fan commissioning him to draw their favourite character from this book?

Now, where exactly had Kevin heard of this name befo—

Oh.

Oh.

Oh my Aeons.

He finally remembered. Isn’t this one of Cyrene’s novels that she read not too long ago? The same one that she ranted to Kevin about?

Flashback to when he was still in his original body and world, Kevin pushed open the door to his room and trudged toward the kitchen, on what was likely his fifth cup of instant coffee.

His hair? A wild mess. His shirt? Speckled with dried paint stains that were probably permanent by now. His face? The dark circles under his eyes were impossible to miss. His overall appearance? Something comparable to a ghost you’d find in abandoned forests. But none of it mattered. The deadline was looming, and he could not afford to let his client down.

On the couch they shared, Cyrene was curled up with her book, its hardcover an eye-catching, striking shade of crimson. She flipped through the pages with growing agitation. Just as Kevin emerged from the kitchen, cradling his new, freshly brewed caffeine fix, a loud groan escaped from Cyrene, not one of pain, but sheer distress.

The sound made Kevin pause mid-step. He turned to her. “You good, sis?”

“No, I’m not good,” Cyrene replied, eyes still glued to the book. “This book... whoever wrote it should have all their writing privileges revoked.”

Okay, that was... surprisingly threatening, especially coming from Cyrene, who, in Kevin’s eyes, is basically a pacifist in most situations. Just for the record, to give you an idea of how unsettling that groan really was, Cyrene is the type of person who always sees the good in everything. Like, everything.

There was this one time Kevin stumbled across a god-awful one-star-rated stallion web novel, and instead of tearing it apart, giving poor reviews like any sane reader would, Cyrene simply just said she sympathized with the villain. Why? Because his tragic backstory was just that sad.

Cyrene could be described as an angel sent from heaven itself.

Naturally curious now, Kevin walked around the couch to stand behind her, peering over her shoulder. “What kind of story has managed to push my lovely sister to the edge of despair?” he asked, raising an eyebrow.

He glanced at the book's open pages, though glanced might sound too generous, his eyes barely scanned the words, understanding none of it. To be fair, he wasn’t really trying. He was about to pass out onto the floor if not for his abnormal dose of caffeine that had been injected into his body right now.

Cyrene turned to him with mock tears in her eyes, clutching the book like it had personally betrayed her. “The author definitely has some kind of hateful agenda against the prince,” she whined.

“From the moment he was born, his mother died. Alright, fine, classic tragic dead family member backstory trope. Happens all the time,” Cyrene began ranting, voice rising with each sentence. “Then later, he’s accused of being this ruthless prince who crushes anyone in his path. But in reality? He did none of that. Still okay, misunderstandings are a fan favorite in storytelling.” Kevin listened, sipping his was-hot-now-lukewarm coffee as Cyrene’s monologue rolled on like a bullet train.

“Then, his own father, the king, banishes him to the deepest, darkest pit of the Black Tide because of some vague prophecy whispered into his ear by some random prophet! Sure. Fine. The plot’s gotta move somehow.” She threw her hands up in exasperation. “But seriously, this whole thing came out in one sitting, it even stunned me.”

“Wow, haha… that sure was… interesting!” Kevin managed, blinking through her storm of outrage. He wasn’t sure if he was impressed by how Cyrene had ranted all of that in one sitting, concerned that Cyrene was mad at a book, or maybe both at the same time.

“But listen,” Cyrene pressed on, undeterred. “Even though the plot was a complete mess, I kept reading because the prince never once broke character. Despite everything, he remained kind, caring, quietly noble, only a few people ever saw the real him. But then—then! Right before the ending, he snaps! He goes completely off the rails and massacres every single character in sight. No warning, no buildup, just full-blown chaos. Like what?! That’s not even the same prince anymore!”

Kevin took a sip at his coffee, again. “Geez, sounds like one of those overly grotesque dark fantasy novels,” he said with a nervous chuckle, hoping to lighten her sister’s mood even for one bit.

Cyrene let out a long sigh and closed the book shut. “The summary looked interesting enough... what would I know…”

Just as Kevin turned to retreat back to his room and continue with his painting, Cyrene’s next words froze him in place. “There was a character with the same name as you, Phainon.”

His head tilted back slightly. “Phainon’s just a pseudonym for work, you know that, sis.”

Cyrene smirked knowingly. “Funny thing is, the character actually had both your looks and personality too, Kevin.”

Kevin narrowed his eyes, already knowing the outcome thanks to Cyrene’s long rant. “Let me guess, he dies?”

“Yup. Three pages in,” she said while chuckling. “Shame, really. I would've loved to see how my brother handled all that chaos.”

Kevin let out a small laugh. “Out of sheer curiosity and totally not because I’m slightly offended, what’s the name of this literary crime scene written in the form of a book?”

With a mischievous chuckle, Cyrene held up the crimson-covered book, angling it into his view. “The title is—”

“The Crown Prince Throned in Blood.”

…

No wonder this new body of his looked exactly the same as his original body, just younger.

…

Now that Kevin thinks about it, that book’s name does sound like something straight out of some edgy thirteen-year-old’s mind.

…

The character he is now stuck in coincidentally shares the same name as his pseudonym.

…

Cyrene has told him before that the character dies within three pages in.

…

He is currently stuck in the same character who is said to die three pages in.

…

He is going to die somewhere in the future.

Kevin, without exaggeration, again, almost fainted on the spot, once again.

“From sky to Phainon, are you still there?” Mem waved around, causing Kevin to snap out of his trance, yet again.

Kevin snatched the pink creature with his two little tiny hands like it had personally wronged him, which, in his defense, it kind of had. “Tell me,” he began, “am I going to die in this world?”

“N-No… wait… please… let go… Mem will explain!” Mem wheezed, struggling in his grip. Kevin finally released it, and the poor creature dropped with a few pitiful coughs, trying to recover its breath

Still slightly winded but now able to speak, Mem promptly explained to Kevin, “Your ultimate goal in this world is to prevent your character’s death and rewrite the story’s progression entirely.”

Before Kevin could react, the door suddenly flew open with a loud bang, startling both him and Mem. In a flash of pink sparkles, Mem vanished into thin air, leaving poor little Kevin to face this situation alone.

Great, at such a poor time like this? Kevin was just about to ask what Mem had just explained to him! Even worse? He hadn’t even read the novel himself! The only information he knew about this world was his own doppelganger’s fate and the possibly soon-to-be insane crown prince, who might very well be the cause of his future death.

Maybe if Cyrene were the one stuck in his place, she’d handle it all way better. Probably talk her way out of trouble with her charm or quote some random details about the novel that leave the character all awestruck.

… Actually, no. Shake that thought away. No way was he ever gonna drag his poor sister into this mess. Never in a million years. He does not want to subject his beloved sister to this kind of torture.

He will figure this out on his own.

While Kevin was silently cursing to himself, the stranger who burst in opened the door and spoke in an almost breathless state, “Are you alright?” The lady standing in the doorway had bright teal eyes, twin curly pigtails, half of them dyed teal, too, and wore a cute red dress with a white fluffy Unicorn? Pegasus? Kevin can’t tell. The lady, still trying to catch her breath as she stepped inside. “I heard a commotion, so I ran over as fast as I could,” she said as her eyes looked around the room. Soon, she noticed the poor table and the tray of fruit that was scattered across the floor.

Kevin and the lady locked eyes. One blink… two blink… three blink… a quiet stare-off. Then, the girl broke the silence with a soft laugh. “You were trying to eat the fruits on the table?” she asked, her voice gentle, laced with amusement. With a smile warm enough to melt even the tension in the room, she moved towards the table, setting it upright before calmly gathering the fallen fruit back onto the tray.

Then, she picked up an apple, sat down at the klinai and began peeling it with grace. Kevin hadn’t moved a muscle, he just stood there, watching her. She noticed his gaze but said nothing. Instead, she simply smiled again and gave a small gesture, inviting him to come closer.

That smile. It reminded Kevin of Cyrene. Soft, warm, and reassuring. The same kind of smile that told you everything would be okay, even in the darkest hours of your moments in life. Before he realised it, Kevin found himself walking towards her, drawn by the quiet comfort she radiated.

She gouged the apple into smaller pieces and gently placed one in his palm. Kevin looked down at the fruit and then back up at her, like a child asking for permission from their parents. “You can eat it,” she said softly, her gentle smile still present.

So he did. It tasted like any regular apple. Sweet, crisp, completely ordinary. You can find this apple anywhere in the market, but yet… somewhere deep inside his chest, a strange heaviness stirred. It felt like he was unlocking something fragile. If he wasn’t careful, his heart might burst open, not from pain, but from something more complicated.

Sure, this body wasn’t his, but the emotions were undoubtedly woven into him and felt undeniably real, as if the original owner's feelings and pain had quietly become his own.

Did the original owner of this body… have a rough childhood? He wondered, the sweetness of the apple lingering on his tongue, and the heaviness lingering even longer.

The lady let out another soft chuckle, handing Kevin more apple slices as he finished each one. It wasn’t until there were no more that he realized he’d eaten the entire thing. Soon, she reached out and gently patted his head, “You must’ve been starving… poor child.”

Kevin didn’t flinch, he was no stranger to head pats. In fact, he’d always loved them. Cyrene used to give them often when they were younger, the days when he was free from worries. Oh how much he missed the comforting warmth of her hand and the quiet reassurance it brought to Kevin. So rather than pulling away, he leaned into the gesture, instinctively chasing that long-lost feeling.

“Hehe, you’re just like a little chimera. How cute,” the lady teased with a soft laugh.

That was when Kevin realized. What the actual heck was he doing?! His eyes widened. He quickly jolted back, face flushed from sheer embarrassment. The sudden movement startled the lady too, but she quickly delved into another laugh.

“S-Sorry,” Kevin mumbled, barely meeting her eyes. “It’s alright,” she replied warmly. “Children should always act like children, there’s no shame to it.”

The lady stood up from the klinai, patting her dress neatly before getting closer to Kevin. She knelt slightly to meet his eye level, gently lifting his arms and inspecting him with a focused gaze. “Hmm, it looks like the injury from before has completely healed.”

Injury? Had the original owner of this body gotten hurt somehow before Kevin took over?

“Are you feeling any discomfort? Dizziness? Lightheadedness?” she asked, her hands still holding his with care. Kevin shook his head in response, she let out a soft sigh of relief.

“Please, don’t ever attempt something like that again,” she reprimanded Kevin, her tone still gentle but firm. “Do you have any idea how worried we all were?”

Here’s the thing, Kevin absolutely didn’t have the faintest idea as to what the body’s previous owner had done. He couldn’t offer any real explanation, his safest move now was to just nod along and stay quiet. Judging by the sudden seriousness in the woman’s expression, it was clear that this Phainon had done something reckless…

The lady soon got back up on her feet and let out a soft sigh. “I’ll speak to your trainer and ask them to give you the day off,” she said while gently ruffling Kevin’s soft, snowy white hair. “Just focus on resting today. Find me if you need anything, alright?”

The lady then faced towards the door, about to leave Kevin to rest.

… Huh? That was it? Kevin had expected to put on more of an act, something to avoid drawing suspicion. But his first encounter with someone else from this world had gone… surprisingly well. Too well, actually.

The lady seemed kind, genuinely. So maybe, just maybe, Kevin could get to know her better, maybe even gain an ally down the line? For the sake of preventing his death in the near future, of course!

As she was about to leave, Kevin suddenly blurted out, “Wait!” He can’t let this golden opportunity escape!

She halted, turning back to him with a curious look. “Is something wrong?” she asked. Kevin thought for a good second, trying to find the right words. “What’s your name?” was the only sentence he managed to come up with.

She smiled warmly. “Hyacinthia.” Hyacinthia… That name sounded almost angelic to him, it really suits her well.

“Thank you, Lady Hai—uh, sin… thea?” Kevin stumbled over the syllables. Weird. He usually had no trouble with difficult-to-pronounce names. So why now? The woman chuckled softly. “Hyacine for short, or just Cinny, if you prefer!”

“Thank you, Lady Haiasin!” he tried again, still slightly wrong, but it was the effort that counted, right? She didn’t seem to mind. With another gentle laugh, Hyacine turned and quietly closed the door behind her, leaving Kevin alone with his thoughts.

Well, alone for about five seconds at max.

With a burst of sparkling pink light, bright enough to someday cost him his vision, Mem suddenly popped into view right in front of him, grinning from ear to ear.

“Aww, that was so cute of you!” Mem cooed. Kevin didn’t bother replying. Instead, he reached out and grabbed both of Mem’s soft, squishy cheeks, stretching them like a stress toy.

“Mmmmeh?!” Mem cried out, clearly in pain, judging by its squirming. Kevin, on the other hand, smiled warmly. A very warm smile. The kind of warm smile you’d expect right before someone was about to commit some first-degree murder. “That’s what you get for disappearing on me,” he said sweetly, with a hint of murderous intent lingering in his child-like tone.

Mem could only wince at the sudden coercion. “Mmmeeemm haaaas twooooo! Yiiits paaaaaart woooof theeeeee wruleeeees!” (Mem has to! It’s part of the rules!) the bunny protested, its voice wobbling under the pressure. Kevin doesn’t care what lame excuses it could come up, continued stretching the poor creature’s cheeks until they had gone red.

This little toying-totally-not-bullying session went on for a good minute or two before Kevin finally released his grip. Mem’s cheeks were now puffed and swollen, giving it a hilariously lopsided expression. Kevin crossed his arms, letting out a satisfied huff, clearly satisfied with his latest masterpiece.

Still rubbing its sore face, trying to soothe its swollen cheeks, Mem whimpered, “It’s not Mem’s fault that Mem has to follow the regulations set by the higher-ups!”

Kevin ignored the whining creature and walked towards the door, pressing his ear against it. Trying to hear if there’s any incoming footsteps, because the last thing he needed right now was another surprise visitor that might accidentally end with him dead on the floor. He'd gotten lucky that the one who walked in earlier was the kind lady, Hyacine. And knowing his luck? There probably wouldn't be a Second Lady Hyacine strolling in to save him.

Once he was sure the coast was clear, Kevin turned back to Mem, who was still sulking and rubbing its puffed-up cheeks. “Now,” Kevin said, arms crossed, “please explain what you meant by ‘preventing my death’ and ‘rewriting the entire story.’”

Mem, unlike before where it spoke with an air of professionalism, now spoke in a tone that was more casual, and just a little offended. “Like Mem said. Survive and rewrite the story. Simple as that.”

Wow. What an incredibly mindblowing insight. Thanks a lot, Mem!

… Not.

“A friendly reminder that Mem can read your thoughts very clearly!” Mem huffed indignantly.

Alright fine. Two can play this game. Mem was, of course, an incredibly helpful personal assistant. Truly helpful!

With a groan, Kevin realized this was going nowhere. Time for Plan B: the System.

He mentally formed the word System once again, and out comes the familiar sci-fi screen greeting him warmly, bright and welcoming… unlike a certain pink-glitter-covered traitor.

“Mem can still hear you!” Quite the contrary, Kevin pretended not to hear Mem.

[#WELCOME USER: PHAINON#]

I AM THE SYSTEM, YOUR TOOL FOR ALL YOUR TRANSMIGRATION NEEDS.

HOW CAN I HELP YOU?

Show me the quests, he thought. The system instantly scrambled up new words, showing Kevin his first ever quest.

[#MAIN QUEST#]

QUEST: EXPLORE THE CASTLE

TIME LIMIT: 48 HOURS

REWARD: 1 COIN

PROGRESS: [0%] INCOMPLETE

…

Kevin thought the cheating system can’t get any scummier, but somehow it did.

Explore the castle, it said. Oh sure, because obviously a child has the stamina to run laps around a giant castle, which in the eyes of a child is almost equivalent to running around the whole country as an adult for Aeon’s sake! And all that effort for one coin? Could he file a complaint for child labor violations and unfair compensation? Not to mention the time limit, is that even humanely possible for a child?!

Somewhere behind him, Mem was doing a terrible job of stifling laughter, clearly entertained by Kevin’s suffering. Truly a helpful personal assistant, Kevin thinks.

With a defeated sigh, Kevin accepted his fate. He needs to get back to his world, he thinks. His sister is waiting for him back home, he thinks again. Now, with a bright smile and a single, imaginary tear trailed down his cheek, he slowly opened the door, facing his cruel new destiny.

The hallway beyond made him stop short. Whether it was because he was stuck in a child’s body or the castle was genuinely that massive, he couldn’t tell, but the place was enormous. Towering walls, endless corridors, and countless doors that may lead to more hidden pathways.

Kevin groaned again as Mem snorted in the background.

Alright. Game plan: start with the left hall, then move to the right, then alternate from there. Easy. Simple. Doable. He was totally going to crush this. Totally.

…Or, more accurately, he was gaslighting himself into believing he would. He needs to, for the sake of returning to his leisure life!

With his newfound confidence, Kevin set off down the left corridor, beginning his journey into what could only be described as a walking simulator from hell.

This marks the beginning of Kevin’s bizarre new life. Surviving, completing quests, and hopefully, one day, finding his way back home.

… Or so he thought. Barely thirty steps in, Kevin found himself gasping for air. His lungs betrayed him, his legs burned, and he wheezed like he’d just climbed Mount Qingyun Peak, one of the tallest mountains back in his world.

Just how weak was the original owner of this body?! Even Kevin was shocked by the lack of basic stamina.

… To be fair, he is stuck in a child’s body. But weren’t kids supposed to have like endless energy? Like, wasn’t that their whole thing? Running around for hours, bouncing off walls, screaming for no reason, and somehow still having enough energy to hold pillow fights like they were recreating some infamous historical war. So why, after just thirty steps, was he already wheezing?

Kevin, while inner monologing to himself, leaned against the nearest pillar, chest heaving up and down as he tried to recover. This body was basically a glorified sack of twigs. And this was only just the first quest.

Mem, being the ever-so-helpful assistant it was, continued cackling in the background like Kevin’s misery was its new favorite form of entertainment.

Irritated, Kevin spun around to face the floating menace. “Why don’t you actually do something useful for once? Like, give me an energy boost, or at least a hint on how I’m supposed to complete this ridiculous excuse for a quest?”

Mem only laughed even harder. Kevin threw up his hands dramatically. “I’m a beginner, okay? Cut me some slack!” Throwing out his new-player status as a counterargument.

Mem, still wiping tears from its eyes from laughing too hard, finally managed to respond. “Giving you any superpowers would break the rules,” it said matter-of-factly. “However… a hint, maybe…” It pursed its tiny lips, looking comically deep in thought. Kevin could only hope that something useful would actually come out of that very helpful assistant of his.

“Instead of wandering the castle aimlessly, why not talk to people who actually work here? If they know the layout, then asking around totally counts as exploring too, don’t you think?” Mem offered.

Kevin blinked. Okay, that wasn’t actually a bad idea. In fact, it made a lot more sense than walking until he collapsed. Against all odds, Mem had actually been helpful. For once.

“Hey! Mem has always been helpful!” Mem huffed, puffing out its cheeks. Thankfully for this time, Kevin restrained himself from bullying Mem even further.

New game plan: find someone who actually works here and ask for directions.

…

Easier said than done, considering Kevin knew literally no one in this place.

…

Wait. Scratch that. He did know someone.

Lady Hyacine.

All he had to do was find her.

Fueled with another newfound confidence that was brewing in him, Kevin set off once more, determined to track down the kind lady who’d shown him a shred of kindness.

…

Of course, it had to be when he gets his confidence back, another problem comes swinging back, punching him straight in the gut.

He had absolutely no idea where she was. “Find me if you need anything, alright?” she said… right, as if he knows how to walk around this castle like its layout was ingrained into the back of his head. Maybe the original Phainon does, but this Phainon-real-name-Kevin does not!

Alas, he couldn’t afford to stand around dramatically sulking, dwelling would only waste precious time. And knowing his luck, he will probably encounter new problems along the way.

Mem. of course, heard every single one of his thoughts and let out a smug little snicker. Kevin swore, one day, he was definitely turning that bunny into stew. With his horrendous cooking skills what not.

Lady Hyacine, just where in the world are you?!

Chapter Text

Is she in this hall? No.

Maybe this one? No, not here either.

Third time’s the charm! She will definitely be in thi— no, never mind, she’s not here either.

Kevin had seemingly run through many halls, pausing every so often to not exhaust this poor body, and yet not a single hall he passed by had the half-pink-half-teal-haired girl in sight. The number of stares from random passersby he’d received from random passersby was starting to make him feel more than a little self-conscious.

The worst part? Not a single random passerby stopped by and helped poor little him out! Absolutely fantastic!

By now, it felt like he’d explored a quarter of this stupid castle just trying to find Lady Hyacine alone.

No… he cannot give up. Time is ticking, and he needs to complete it. Who knows what kind of punishment he might face if he doesn’t complete this ridiculous quest? If there even is one. He doesn’t want to know, nor does he want to find out.

“Uhm… do you need any help…?” A young, feminine voice came right behind Kevin, which caused poor Kevin to jump out of fright with yet another yelp.

Again?! Seriously, how many times could one person get jumpscared in a single day? This had to be the fourth time. At least.

“Ah…! I-I’m sorry!” The young girl stammered behind Kevin. After metaphorically collecting the soul that had momentarily fled his body, he turned around to be met with a serene yet intense gaze with a pair of bright lilac pupils. The girl had short, flowing light purple hair that darkened at the tips, a delicate flower crown resting atop her head. Her ears were pointed, almost elf-like. She was also donning an elegant, white robe just like Kevin’s. She was a tad bit shorter than Kevin, suggesting they might be close in age.

“I didn’t mean to scare you, I’m truly sorry…!” she said, bowing exactly at a perfect ninety-degree angle. This sent Kevin into a sudden panic, “N-no no! Not at all!” Kevin blurted out. What does one even do when someone is apologizing for something they couldn’t possibly control?!

She looked back up at him, still feeling quite guilty. Kevin waved his arms frantically. “I just… didn’t see you! That’s all! It’s not your fault!”

The girl let out a small sigh of relief at Kevin’s words. “Ah… I noticed you’ve been walking around for quite a while now,” she clarified. “I thought you might need some help…”

He, in fact, does need help. Thank you, random kind girl who saw him struggling, unlike those other passersby who gave him just some stares!

“Actually,” Kevin began, “I was trying to find Lady Hai… uh… sin?” He trailed off as the girl tilted her head in confusion.

Oh, for Aeon’s sake, why couldn’t he pronounce Lady Hyacine’s name properly?! He fumbled through a few more miserable attempts before giving up entirely. “The kind lady in a red dress,” he muttered, defeated.

The girl looked at Kevin blankly, trying to process what he meant. It didn’t take long until realization finally lit up her expression. “Oh, you mean Lady Hyacine…?”

Yes! Yes, that’s right! That’s exactly the person Kevin was looking for! Okay, but how come this young girl managed to pronounce Lady Hyacine’s name perfectly without fail, but not him? They look practically almost the same age here!

“Yes, do you know where she is?” Kevin asked, his eyes lighting up with new hope. The girl’s posture relaxed. “I know where her station is located,” the girl answered Kevin, “I can guide you there… only if you want to, of course!” she added quickly, hands flailing a little in nervous panic, not wanting to come off as pushy.

Of course Kevin was going to accept! Who knew how many more laps he needed to run just to find Lady Hyacine herself? By the time he even manages to even find her, the time limit will most likely decrease significantly, which means that he will have less time to complete his quest, which also means that soon there might be a lifeless body of Kevin lying in some random hallway, presumably.

“Yes!” he exclaimed with way too much enthusiasm, accidentally startling the poor girl with his sudden burst of energy.

Right, how could he forget his manners? Kevin sheepishly replied, “Ah, uh, I mean, please?”

The girl looked at Kevin for a quick moment before beaming with a bright smile, the smile that kids wore when they got praised or given a treat. She didn’t say anything, simply turned and gestured for him to follow, which Kevin happily obliged.

The walk was quiet, too quiet, if you exclude all the footstep noises and all. The girl led the way without uttering a single word, her footsteps light and quiet. Giving Kevin an… eerie vibe.

It was just, unlike Lady Hyacine, whose presence wrapped around you like a warm blanket, making you feel safe just by being near her, much like Cyrene too! This girl however, gave off an entirely different vibe. Opposite, even.

How can Kevin put it into words… perhaps spectral might be the best word to describe her overall presence? It was like she belonged in another realm entirely. It made her feel oddly unapproachable, which was a shame. Someone as pretty as her shouldn’t feel so isolated, at this point in age too.

Not that Kevin has anything against the girl, no way! He is indeed very grateful for this girl’s help!

Wanting to break the awkward silence, Kevin noticed the elegant flower crown resting atop her head once again. “Did you make the flower crown yourself?” he asked, genuinely curious. The girl looked back, caught off guard by the question. She looked hesitant for a moment but answered regardless, “Yeah, I made it myself.” Kevin complimented her in response, “It looks pretty!”

She didn’t respond. At least, not verbally. Instead, she quickly turned her head forward again, but not before Kevin caught the faint flush rising to her ears. Was she embarrassed? How adorable!

Wanting to know more, Kevin picked up his pace, taking a few long strides until he was walking beside her. “What’s your name?” he asked. The girl paused again, looking a bit hesitant again before answering Kevin once more, “My name is… Castorice.”

“Casto… rice?” Kevin attempted to say the girl’s name, and surprisingly, he got it right this time! A silent pat on the back for Kevin’s small victory!

Not wanting to come off as rude by asking someone’s name without offering his in return, Kevin quickly followed up, “My name is…”

…

Right, which name should he use? He didn’t even think about that beforehand!

Yeah sure, Kevin is his real name. But the body he was possessing? Definitely not named Kevin. And he had no clue if anyone around here even knew the original Phainon before he, well, took over.

As Kevin fought silently with this identity crisis, leaving the poor girl without a full reply. The girl suddenly cut in, sounding rushed, “Ah, you don’t need to tell me your name!”

…?

Huh?

Why not…?

Kevin looked over at her, puzzled. She didn’t meet his eyes. In fact, her expression seemed… sad? Even disappointed too. Before he could even ask, she came to an abrupt stop, which also caused Kevin to halt his steps. “The door ahead is Lady Hyacine’s station. I shall take my leave now.” And just like that, she turned and walked off, leaving Kevin alone once again.

… What a strange girl. Kevin couldn’t help but hope she was alright.

With that strange encounter, Kevin turned his attention to the large door before him. What greeted him was a well-lit space filled with wooden pieces of furniture, herbal remedies neatly arranged accordingly on the shelves, and mysterious jars filled with who knows what. Kevin thinks this had to be some sort of medical room, judging by the apothecary vibes the room was giving.

Lady Hyacine stood at the far end, speaking with someone. But the moment she heard the door creak open. She turned to face the door and saw Kevin looking right back at her. “Oh, it’s you!” she said cordially, “Why are you just standing there at the doorway? Please, come in!” She invited Kevin with a smile.

Kevin slowly trudged his way inside, heading in the direction of where Hyacine was. “Is there something wrong?” Hyacine asked as she bent down slightly to look face-to-face with Kevin.

Alright, it’s planning time!

First, he will play the role of a lost and confused child, with googly eyes and all that, to sell out his child-like charms. Then, if all goes according to plan, Lady Hyacine will pity him and she will have no choice but to help poor little him!

The plan is flawless!

… At least in Kevin’s mind.

Kevin awkwardly scratched the back of his head, putting on his best impression of a lost child, “Uh-uhm, if it’s not too much of a favour to ask you…” he mumbled, eyes dropping to the floor for added effect. “Could you… show me the way around the castle…?” His voice started to shift, leaning into a more pitiful act, “I… got lost.”

Hyacine looked at Kevin sympathetically, “Oh, poor you!” Both of her hands covered her mouth as she spoke.

She looked over her shoulder at the others who were in the room with her and asked if they wouldn’t mind her stepping away just for a bit. After everyone looked at each other and with a few nods of approval, she turned to Kevin with her iconic, reassuring smile.

“Of course, Lady Hyacine will help you!” she said kindly, reaching out one of her hands and gently patting Kevin’s head. “There’s nothing to be shy about. Everyone gets a little lost around in this place, even me occasionally!” Hyacine tried to comfort Kevin.

Outside, Kevin looked all sad and woeful. But on the inside, confetti cannons were shooting out confetti all around his own little head.

Yes! She totally bought it! Kevin could barely contain his inner grin.

“But before that…” Lady Hyacine stood up immediately and hastily went over some of the cupboards. She pulled out a clean cloth and a pair of spare sandals. Dipping the cloth into water, she added a bit of ointment to it before setting both items aside. Returning to Kevin, she gently scooped him up without warning, prompting a surprised squeal from him. He hadn’t expected the sudden lift. She carefully set him down on a nearby table, where he now sat with wide eyes. Taking the dampened cloak, she began to gently rub his bare feet. “Walking all the way here must’ve hurt, right?” she said tenderly.

Oh yeah, Kevin had completely forgotten he'd been wandering around the castle barefoot. His feet must have gone numb from the long trek, he hadn’t even noticed the soreness until now.

Once she was done tending to his feet, Hyacine slipped the sandals on him with care. They were a little too big for his small feet, but Kevin didn’t mind. Lady Hyacine had already helped him this much, he couldn’t be fussy about it.

Then, she extended her hands toward him. Kevin hesitated, still playing the part, like a wary child unsure whether to trust the kind lady before him.

But Hyacine didn’t rush him. She simply waited patiently until his tiny hand finally found hers. Their fingers intertwined slowly, like a mother guiding her child. She then looked at Kevin once more, “Ready to set off on an adventure with Lady Hyacine?” she playfully acted, trying to ease Kevin’s anxiousness, which was nonexistent if he’s being honest, but hey, he’s already too deep into this act, he might as well continue with it.

With a giggle from Lady Hyacine, Kevin slid carefully down from the table, and together, they set off on their very own little adventure.

From notable places like the great hall of the castle to sprawling dining rooms and even to kitchens that felt like oversized versions of those found in everyday homes, Lady Hyacine guided Kevin through the winding corridors of the castle while also pointing out a few little fun facts here and there along the way making their impromptu adventure feel more like a whimsical tour. Kevin listened to all of them attentively without fail. It was honestly kind of impressive how Lady Hyacine knew all these facts just in the back of her head.

Did you know the reason behind all the lion statues scattered around the castle? Kevin sure didn’t, but now he does, thanks to Lady Hyacine. Apparently, lions symbolized strength and courage, tributes to the founding ruler of this land, therefore, they’ve built many lion statues as a way to memorialize them.

And it was also thanks to Lady Hyacine’s fun facts, Kevin learned exactly where he was: the Land of Castrum, in the legendary Castle of Kremnos.

“Here, we have the royal garden!” Hyacine proudly proclaims, gesturing toward the large greenery area. There were many assortments of flowers planted on the green land, ranging from vibrant red to hollow blues. Gardeners moved about diligently, each one more focused than the last. Children sprinted between the flowerbeds, caught up in an intense game of tag. Their laughter resonated through the garden as their parents sat nearby, chatting among themselves. Gossip or idle talk, who knows?

Hyacine gazed at the scene with a wistful smile. “Ah, youth. Isn’t it beautiful?” she mused, turning her eyes towards Kevin. He didn’t really know how to respond to that, so he simply nodded. That was enough. Hyacine didn’t push, just continued on with her stream of fun facts.

“This garden belonged to Queen Gorgo,” she said, “She was the one who issued a royal decree that children, regardless of status, could come here to play. Nobility or not, everyone was welcome.” She watched the children who were still running around, looking like they were all free from worries.

Then, a small, deflated sigh escaped her lips. “It’s such a shame she passed so early. Queen Gorgo was truly beloved by many.”

Oh right, Kevin remembered Cyrene mentioning that. The crown prince’s mother had died giving birth to him. Judging by Hyacine’s tone, Queen Gorgo hadn’t just been respected—she’d been cherished by all.

In the quiet of his thoughts, Kevin offered a small, silent prayer for her, wishing her well. And then, without a word, Hyacine took his hand once more, gently leading him away, continuing their little adventure through the castle once more.

Hyacine casually mentioned that the upper floors were currently off-limits due to a sudden cleanup and wouldn’t be able to show Kevin anything beyond that point. Still, she gave him a brief overview of what lies above. It’s mostly private quarters reserved for the royal family. Kevin could read between the lines, this was her polite way of saying the royals prefer not to be disturbed. He didn’t mind. He only hoped this still counted toward his exploration progress. If not… well, he might as well be doomed.

Soon after, Hyacine led him down a narrow hallway to a rather inconspicuous little door. It was blended so neatly into the wall that anyone could easily walk right past it without ever noticing. Unlike the other grand doors scattered around the castle, this one was plain, just old wood, with no gold trim or carvings. Its edges were lined with cobwebs. Yikes.

“This here is the castle’s library,” Hyacine said, pausing in front of it. “But because of your current condition, I’m afraid I can’t bring you inside.”

Kevin only tilted his head in response, confused as to what Lady Hyacine meant. “Why not?” he asked naively. Hyacine only gave him a solemn look, “The library… hasn’t been used for quite some time,” she said. “No one’s cleaned it in ages. The dust inside might be overwhelming.”

Ah, so it’s about his weak body, got it. Kevin gave a knowing nod. Hyacine only offered him a small, pitiful smile in return, then gently took his hand and led him away once more, continuing their quiet little adventure through the castle.

Their little adventure eventually drew to a close as the sun dipped low, with dawn greeted them soon after.

“Do you want to return to your chambers to rest?” Hyacine asked. Then, she looked around her surroundings as if making sure no one was listening. She leaned in close and whispered into Kevin’s ear, “Or… do you want to stay in the patient’s chambers a little longer? I can make up an excuse for you, say—you needed extra care.”

So that room he woke up in was the patient’s chamber. That suddenly made more sense, considering all the clear walls and all. But what surprised Kevin even more was learning he apparently had a chamber of his own. And the way Hyacine whispered it, like it was some kind of forbidden secret? That was… suspiciously conspicuous.

His curiosity got the best of him. “I’d like to go back to my chambers, please,” he said, this time remembering his manners.

Hyacine paused, studying him for a moment. “Are you sure?” she asked. To which Kevin nodded, “Yes.”

With that, Hyacine then slowly guided Kevin the pathway back to his chambers.

His chambers were… downstairs…? Wait, there was another layer beneath this castle?

Kevin followed Hyacine with growing concern as they descended this mysterious looking stairway. The staircase leading down was, well, let’s just say it was a sight to behold, in a bad way. No lights. No carpets. Just damp, muddied steps and cobwebs clinging to the stone walls like they hadn’t been disturbed in decades.

At the bottom was a short, narrow corridor ending in a single wooden door, plain and weathered, identical to the one at the abandoned library. Nothing decorative and sure as heck is nothing inviting. Hyacine pushed it open, and what lay beyond was—

Awful. Genuinely, stomach-churningly awful. Kevin cannot believe his eyes.

The room was… to put it simply…

Actually, no. Kevin doesn’t even have the energy to be optimistic anymore.

The room, if it could even be called that, was in complete disrepair. The only source of light had long since given up, casting the space into a gloomy shadow that made it resemble a dungeon more than a living quarters. Honestly, it might have been a dungeon at some point.

The walls? Awfully filthy. The floor? Stained with mysterious blotches, Kevin had no desire to identify them. The bed? There wasn’t even one! There’s only a lone wooden plank resting on the ground, nothing else. No mattress. No blanket. Not even a pillow. Kevin presumes is probably the ‘bed’.

This… this was where he was expected to stay? In this condition? As a weak child, no less?!

No wonder the original Phainon died so easily. With a body as fragile as this and this abomination of a place as his so-called room, it was a miracle he was somehow still alive after whatever this is!

Hyacine looked at Kevin worryingly, “I can still make up an excuse for you, if you’d rather not stay here,” she said painstakingly.

Deep down, Kevin really wanted to accept that offer. He really does, every part of him screamed yes. But no, he couldn’t trouble the ever-kind Lady Hyacine any further. He was a man—er… child of his word, after all!

“It’s okay,” Kevin said aloud.

It was not okay.

Hyacine looked deep in thought, then suddenly her face lit up with a spark of inspiration. “Ah!” she exclaimed, eyes gleaming even. She turned to him, her expression glowing with a newfound passion. “Little one, wait right here for me. Lady Hyacine will be back in a jiffy!”

She was about to leave when she paused, spun back around. This time, she plucked off the Unicorn? Pegasus? Kevin still doesn’t know. Plushy, who was residing in her dress, “This is Little Ika,” she said proudly, cradling the plush in her hands before placing it into his. “My dear companion who’s been with me for years! Little Ika will stay with you while I grab some things, so you won’t feel lonely!” And just like that, with her trusty companion staying by Kevin’s side, she was gone.

Now Kevin stood alone again, but this time, he had company. Sort of.

He inspected his temporary companion closely. Turns out, Little Ika was a fluffy white pegasus with soft pastel wings, a miniature golden crown perched on its head, a small bowtie around its fluffy body, and big, glistening eyes staring at Kevin. This was probably the most adorable eyes Kevin had ever seen… on a plush horse, anyway. Even its mane matched Lady Hyacine’s in color, which was a nice touch, Kevin thinks.

Well, one thing was for sure. It was definitely way cuter than Mem. Kevin will admit that.

As if summoned by the very thought, a pink glittery puff exploded in the air beside him. “Hey! Just because Mem didn’t appear for a few hours doesn’t mean Mem doesn’t exist!”

Yeah, Little Ika was quieter, humble, and lovely. More pleasant to be around. Why couldn’t this be his personal assistant instead? Little Ika was a perfect distraction from the current state of his depressing excuse for a room. Unlike a certain someone, or something.

“Don’t ignore Mem!” the pink bunny huffed, bouncing in frustration.

Kevin, quite frankly, ignored Mem much to Mem’s dismay. He took this opportunity with nobody around and summoned the system.

[#MAIN QUEST#]

QUEST: EXPLORE THE CASTLE

TIME LIMIT: 36 HOURS

REWARD: 1 COIN

PROGRESS: [99%] INCOMPLETE

…

You’ve gotta be kidding.

No way. No. Way.

Just one percent. One singular, miserable, mockingly small percentage. Where did he miss it?!

This one percent could be anywhere!

Maybe in one of the royal chambers he had no access to? Does that mean Kevin now had to sneak into some high-security area with this fragile, child-sized body of his? Is the system actually insane?

Was there even a beta tester for this nightmare of a questline before sending it straight to Kevin’s way? That’s supposed to be the standard procedure before releasing a game, right? Otherwise, how would anyone be expected to finish it?!

Somewhere nearby, Mem let out a devilish laugh. Probably for revenge. Great. Just great.

While Kevin mentally spiraled deeper into existential despair over a percentage, hurtled footsteps sounded in the corridors behind the room. And like the most reliable assistant in the universe, Mem disappeared into sparkly pink nothingness. Of course.

Hyacine burst opened the door, standing there, arms full of clean cloths, a bucket of water, and a mop stacked in her grasp. “I’m back!” she chirped.

She placed the items down before hurrying over to Kevin. “Was Little Ika fun to be around? I sure hope so!” Kevin nodded and returned the plush pegasus to her. It had, in fact, been comforting. Much more than the pink menace currently hiding out of sight.

Hyacine took Little Ika with a smile, then turned back to the room. “Now then…” She stretched her arms, cracking her knuckles like she was about to head into some sort of battlefield.

Kevin looked at the mop. The cloths. The bucket. He could already tell where this was going.

“What do you say we clean up this place together, little one?”

Chapter Text

Of course.

Lady Hyacine’s grand idea? Cleaning up this depressing place. Honestly, what other options were there to begin with?

Hyacine reached into one of her pockets and pulled out a box of matchsticks and a few white candles. She replaced the dimmed lamp in the corner. In moments, the room brightened. In contrast to the previous gloomy shadow.

Next, Hyacine handed Kevin a clean cloth. “Why don’t you dampen this and try cleaning the walls?”

Well… he might as well. First, it was a good chance to tidy up what would soon be his living quarters. Second, maybe he could scrub away some of the stress that had been building up thanks to you know what. And third, find out where and figure out how he was supposed to tackle that infuriating one percent that had been mocking him, multitasking at its finest.

Kevin took the cloth, dipped it into the bucket Hyacine had brought, and started wiping the wall from the far left side, and soon to the right. At least within the height range of his body that got shrunk at least three sizes.

Meanwhile, Hyacine wielded the mop like an elegant warrior of cleaning, gliding across the stained floors and blotches like she was born to do it. Kevin glanced over mid-scrub, jaw slightly agape. She noticed and laughed, twirling the mop. “Let Lady Hyacine show you a little something.”

With eccentricity, she stretched out her hand. A gentle blue glow radiated from her palm and then out floated bubbles, dozens of them. Soft and bouncy, like the ones kids played with back in his world. The bubbles drifted across the room, slowly filling the room up.

Then Hyacine whispered something that Kevin had never heard before. The bubbles all popped miraculously in unison. In the blink of an eye, the entire chamber sparkled. The grime? Gone. The blotches? A memory. The air itself went from suffocating to feather-light.

The chamber now looked completely different from its previous state.

Kevin stood there, stunned. Hyacine just giggled even harder. “My powers aren’t that amazing. Nothing compared to the others. But… it looks nice, doesn’t it?”

Not amazing? Who lied to Lady Hyacine? That was the most inspiringly gorgeous thing Kevin has laid his eyes upon! That was stunning. That was magical. That was a form of art itself! If he had his phone with him, he would’ve taken a picture on the spot, instant inspiration for his next piece.

He turned to her, eyes wide. “What do you mean? That was the most amazing thing I’ve ever seen!” he clapped, like a kid who just finished watching a magic show. Hyacine laughed, ruffling his hair gently. “Thank you.”

Now that this chamber of his was actually livable, Kevin mentally ticked one death flag off his list. One less thing to worry about.

…

Oh, and then there’s still that stupid one percent daunting him.

Kevin totally almost forgot about it for a solid second that thanks to the spectacular of a show Lady Hyacine just pulled out. Nothing against Lady Hyacine though, don’t get him wrong! Not her fault she temporarily erased his dread with sparkly soap bubbles and charm.

But now? Yeah, his dread is back haunting him.

Kevin hadn’t realized he was making all sorts of strange faces throughout his overall contemplation, which all got noticed by Lady Hyacine, which also resulted in Lady Hyacine spiraling into more concern, which somehow led her to the wrong line of thinking. To be fair, Lady Hyacine had no way of knowing what Kevin was thinking anyway.

“Ah, uh,” she babbled, “I’ll try to sneak in some comfortable blanket and cushion!” The silence is heavy.

…

Actually, can she—

No. No, Kevin! You absolute baloney! You’ve already imposed on Lady Hyacine more than enough, you seriously cannot burden her any longer!

…

Okay but a blanket and a cushion do sound very tempti—

No. Kevin. No. Deny the offer. Reject Lady Hyacine’s offer before it’s too late.

Kevin quickly faced Hyacine with a determined look, “No!” he shouted.

Hyacine didn’t entirely get Kevin’s memo, completely misreading Kevin’s intent, “It’s okay, Lady Hyacine won’t get caught, trust me!” she insisted.

Aghhhh no! Lady Hyacine, that is not the point! You’re too good! You’ve already done more than enough! Please don’t martyr yourself for his sake!

Before Kevin could even refute, she was already placing Little Ika back into his tiny hands, with a confident wave bidding Kevin a temporary farewell, she went on with her merry way.

…

Lady Hyacine, oh Lady Hyacine… you’re genuinely way too good for this world…

With Little Ika once again nestled in his palms, Kevin turned his thoughts back to the dreaded one percent.

“Oh Little Ika, what would you do if you were me…” he sighed dramatically, holding the fluffy white pegasus plush high up into the air.

Right on cue, the sparkly pink menace decided to pop out, “This Lady Hyacine sure seems like a wonderful person!” Mem chimed.

“Oh Little Ika, how does one even begin to deal with a situation like this?” Little Ika did not reply, but the pink-floating creature did. “Hey, are you ignoring Mem again?”

Kevin only continued, “Oh Little Ika, please guide me with all your profound wisdo—”

“Hey! Don’t ignore Mem!” Mem screeched, shaking Kevin’s small body as petty vengeance. Kevin wobbled violently. “H-hey! Quit it! This body’s fragile, remember?” He was genuinely starting to feel faint.

Mem paused and floated back, smugly crossing its tiny paws. “That’ll teach you not to bully Mem!”

Kevin, still recovering from the sudden motion, narrowed his eyes. Just wait until I somehow manage to get this body in shape, then we’ll see who’s laughing, Kevin silently thought. Mem shivered in the air, hearing that same thought loud and clear.

Kevin sighed. “Okay, back to the real problem. Any clues to where that missing one percent could be?” Hoping this very reliable personal assistant of his might give him some sort of hint.

Mem shrugged nonchalantly, like it wasn’t the most important thing in the world. “All Mem can say is… you missed one place. A very important place.”

“Looks like we’ve got ourselves a professional Herlock Sholmes here.” Kevin sarcastically said. “That was a big hint!” Mem shot back, infuriated. “You’re just too dumb to get it.”

Wow. Okay. Wow, just wow. Even Mem, self-proclaimed Kevin’s best personal assistant, is starting to become sassy. Kevin can live with that, he just needs to be sassier, that’s all.

Mem pretended not to hear the last part, just like how Kevin taught Mem the last time. Truly user and assistant alike. “There’s something else you should be more worried about, more than this one percent, Mem thinks.”

“How earth-shatteringly groundbreaking! If only you would also tell me what I should be worried about exactly?” Kevin said with a satirical aptitude. Mem just shrugged in response, no elaboration. Just floated casually around the room, inspecting the freshly cleaned space.

Okay, he is finally alone with his thoughts. With Little Ika by his side, he started to mentally build a makeshift whiteboard in his head.

Point one: The stupid one percent, he needs to figure out what spot he missed. From Mem’s very helpful input, it’s somewhere important, but what did it mean by important to be exact?

Someone was speaking in the background, adding a glitter popping off into the distance, “I’m back!”

Point two: The “something else you should be more worried about”, that could literally mean anything. His impending fate of dying? His future struggles of surviving in this world? Or the questline will somehow be more absurd than the last? Oh the many possibilities it could be! Best part of this entire ordeal? None of them sound’s better than the last.

The voice continues, “Hmm, what are you staring at?”

Point three: His name. Thanks to his encounter with the strange girl, he’d started questioning it. This should be the easiest problem he could solve right now, but somewhere inside of him is still doubtful. Pretending to be Phainon could be mentally taxing on his own mental health. If worst comes to worst, he might develop some kind of impostor syndrome the more he pretends, and Kevin doesn’t want that. Like, yes, sure, Cyrene did mention before that both Kevin and Phainon share the same personality, but it’s not the same. Kevin is Kevin, and Phainon is Phainon. Nobody can take the core part of Kevin away. Nobody.

While those thoughts spun wildly through his head, he barely registered the voice getting louder until a hand waved right in front of his face. “Hello? Are you alright?” It was none other than Lady Hyacine who waved in front of Kevin, which snapped Kevin out of his makeshift whiteboard.

“A-ah! Hello, hi, welcome… back?” Kevin managed to utter, Hyacine only smiled before shoving a thin piece of blanket and a small cushion onto his face. “Look what I got!” she beamed. Then, Hyacine proceeded to place both of these two fabric-made items neatly onto to sad wooden board. “I could only sneak in these two, but… better than nothing, right?” Hyacine said, a bit melancholic.

Kevin’s heart squeezed a little. “It’s okay! It’s really okay!” he said quickly, “Lady Haiasin has done a lot for me, I cannot bother Lady Haiersin any more!” And just like that, a new problem joined the mental whiteboard: Why can’t he properly pronounce some syllables right?

Hyacine only gave Kevin a bitter smile. Kevin gently handed Little Ika back to her. “Little Ika seems to like you a lot!” she said, trying to lighten up the mood around them. Kevin, in response, mustered up the biggest smile he could, “Lady Hiacin and Little Ika are great friends to me!” which earned him a quiet chuckle from her

Though the chuckle only lasted a short while before Hyacine patted Kevin’s hair. “I should head back. If I’m gone too long, my colleagues will get suspicious… I’m sorry, little one.” Kevin leaned into Hyacine’s warm touch, “It’s okay, Lady Haesin has helped me more than I can say… thank you.”

The coldness soon replaced the warmth as soon as Hyacine went back. It was only now that Kevin had realised just how long his body had kept up with the over-abundance of activities he had done today. His fatigue was slowly creeping up on him. He slumped down onto the so-called ‘bed’ of his and stared blankly at the ceiling above him. The smell of melted wick fills the room as Kevin continues to stare at the ceiling. Reminiscing on today’s bizarre journey he just had.

Mem was nowhere in sight. Not hovering, not sassing, not chiming in with snarky commentary. Kevin figured even that little glitter gremlin had burned out for the day. Their constant back-and-forth must’ve tired Mem out too.

Lying casually on the wooden board with a blanket draped over half of his body, Kevin’s eyelids soon shut themselves slowly, perhaps he shall make a trip to the land of slumber?

…

Kevin felt as if he had forgotten something.

…

If it’s not important, then maybe it’s not worth remembering at all, he thinks again.

…

One sheep, two sheep, three sheep…

…

One…

…

The one percent.

Feeling like he just dreamt of a nightmare. Kevin jolted upright, face full of fear.

Shoot, he’s somehow managed to distract himself so much that he’s forgotten his main concern, the first pointer of his mental whiteboard.

That jeering one percent.

Without hesitation, Kevin mentally formed the word System, and out pops out the familiar sci-fi screen.

[#MAIN QUEST#]

QUEST: EXPLORE THE CASTLE

TIME LIMIT: 34 HOURS

REWARD: 1 COIN

PROGRESS: [99%] INCOMPLETE

Okay, it’s good that he still has one day and roughly ten hours left. But who knows what kind of strange situations he will get himself into and ultimately distract him even more once the sun peeks over the horizon. If he somehow has time to rest now, then he most definitely has time to think this through and make out a rough plan.

Kevin mentally formed his whiteboard back, going back to point one.

Point one: The stupid one percent, Mem’s mentioned it’s somewhere important, but where and how important was this place? It’s somehow so important that Lady Hyacine, the most helpful person he’d met so far, somehow missed this important place… uh, he only knows two people here so far, but that doesn’t correlate to his current dilemma.

Ah, if only Cyrene were here to guide him…

…

Kevin slapped both of his cheeks, hard. A sharp sting bloomed on either side of his face, leaving his chubby, childlike cheeks flushed with red.

“Stop it, Kevin,” he muttered aloud. He needs to stop dragging your poor sister into his own thoughts. She has done absolutely nothing wrong and does not deserve this kind of treatment. He mentally admonished himself.

He will figure this out on his own.

Kevin racked his brain for ideas, struggling to land on something useful. Until finally, he had a thought.

So far, Kevin’s only has two locations in mind.

First, the royal garden. He and Lady Hyacine had walked past it briefly. Could that be an indicator that there is something more that lies beyond the garden?

Second, whatever the royal chambers that were upstairs. If Kevin had access to there, that would lessen one of Kevin’s migraines. But unfortunately, he does not. He wasn’t familiar enough with the intricacies of the layout to even begin plotting a perfect break-in.

Ah, whatever. The royal chambers will be his last resort. Right now, there was still an entire garden waiting for him to explore.

Leaping off from the wooden board, Kevin made his way back up to the ground level of the castle. Walking erratically as he tries to remember his way back to the garden.

After a few missteps here and there, some confused stares from passersby, and several much-needed breaks to keep from fully falling apart, he’s finally made it back to the royal garden.

Unlike before, where there had once been crowds of laughing children and strolling adults, now it was completely empty. Not that surprising considering the sky is slowly turning dark, and who in their right mind would wander around the garden at night where there’s barely even any light source, right?

…

Look, in Kevin’s defense, he had no choice, not like he also wanted to walk around the garden at such a time either.

Kevin stepped onto the grass, feeling the breezy air pass through him, sending his hair drifting sideways in the wind. He started with the flowerbed path first, but it all only ever led him back to his original position, nothing noteworthy.

Next, he wandered over to the garden’s storage shed. To nobody’s surprise, it’s locked. Of course it was. The unlucky gardener would probably get fired if someone found out the storage room had been unlocked.

His last stop, the giant grass maze standing right in front of him. Oh Kevin will make a mental note on paying the doctors a visit once he’s back in his world, with how much brain damage this new world has caused him. Bracing himself with a heavy, deep breath, mentally preparing himself for the inevitable, he stepped through the mossy archway into the maze

He tried his absolute best to navigate through the maze, turning left, turning right, going forward, going backwards. The more turns he took, the more disoriented he became. It felt like he’d already exhausted every option he had, yet there was still no clear end in sight. A part of him just wanted to charge through the hedges like a bulldozer. But Kevin halted the thoughts immediately as damaging the garden’s maze might probably be the fastest way to get himself executed. Survival first, relaxation second.

Drained and dizzy from the endless loops, Kevin slumped down onto the ground, panting even. Would it take him an entire night just to navigate through this maze alone?

…

As Kevin lay on the ground catching his breath, the soft rustle of a nearby bush could be heard by Kevin.

…

If that wasn’t scary, then Kevin doesn’t know what is.

Alerted by this new sound, he desperately stood up from his position. Heart pounding, he hectically looked around him, trying to identify the mysterious source of the sudden noise.

…

Kevin felt something poke behind his back.

…

Nope. Nope nope nope. Kevin doesn’t want to admit it, but he’s scared. Like, genuinely scared.

…

He can feel the cold sweat sliding down his face.

…

Mem? Assistant? Now would be a great time to show up and help a poor guy out, please?

…

Nobody responded. Mem, where were you when Kevin needed you the most?

…

Alright. Deep breath. Come on, Kevin. Man up. He is no longer a child anymore.

…

Technically, he is a child right no—

No. No excuses. Kevin clenched his fists and steadied himself. He wasn’t raised to be a coward! Cyrene didn’t take care of Kevin for years, just for him to be scared of little things like this! What kind of gentleman would he become if he cowered over something like this? In the middle of a giant maze where he had absolutely no knowledge of where its entrance or exit was, while the sky was dark in colour, with the wind suddenly cooler than before, no less! It’s going to be fine, trust!

Successfully gaslighting himself while forcing down the rising panic, he slowly turned towards his back. What greeted him was—

A girl, holding a stick in her hands, staring at Kevin. With her hands at the same angle as to where Kevin was poked.

It wasn’t just any random girl however, it was the same one who guided Kevin to Lady Hyacine’s station earlier, the same girl who ran away so fast after learning of her name.

It was Castorice, holding a stick in her hands, the same stick that poked Kevin and the same girl that may or may not have scared him into wanting to temporarily abandon this body.

Kevin mentally let out a deep sigh of relief. Oh, thank goodness. He’d just spent the last few moments scaring himself from basically a whole lot of nothing. See? Everything’s fine. All ends well!

Castorice stared at him with a flat expression. “Why are you here… this late as well?” she asked Kevin.

Fortunately for him, this time, he has the answer surprisingly. But the problem is, he cannot disclose it without him sounding like he’s gone mad. Like, he can’t just explain to some random ten-year-old that he’s currently randomly running around in the castle just to fill up the progression of some weird quest of his!

His second-best option? Make something up on the spot!

“I-uh,” Kevin sputtered, trying to figure out how to get out of this situation at hand. “I was just wondering… er… how big the maze is!”

Castorice only tilted her head in confusion. Kevin attempted to explain himself once more. “The maze caught my eye when the kind lady showed me around the garden, so I got curious!”

Castorice, somehow buying this made-up story of his, finally let her guard down, “Ah, I see… sorry. It’s just that it's rare to see people nowadays also interested in silly things like this,” she said, still gripping the stick.

“Ah, I see. Well, turns out I also like them!” Nice save, Kevin. Nice save.

Castorice looked at Kevin, now with an excited beam in her eyes. “Have you managed to find the fountain yet?” Kevin’s shoulders slumped in defeat. “No… I got lost while trying to find my way around the maze.”

Her cheerful expression shifted into concern. “Ah, uhm, I can guide you if you want…”

Kevin swears this girl is also another angel sent from heaven itself.

“I would like that, please?” Kevin said, scratching the back of his head, slightly guilty that this girl had basically become his unofficial tour guide.

“You wouldn’t mind… missing out on the experience…?” Castorice shyly asked.

Heck yeah, for sure he wouldn’t mind!  “Not at all! Besides, I get to experi-er… yence with you together, Castorice!” his thoughts sort of contradict with his speech style, but it’s the same meaning either way.

Castorice looked at Kevin with a very cheery look, as if she had gotten yet another treat from Kevin. Then, she held out the stick toward him, “Here, you can hold this.” Kevin only looked at Castorice, confused. “Ah… so you wouldn’t get lost…!” Castorice quickly explained with a bashful expression.

Alright. He could play along. Kevin will entertain Little Castorice in the meantime, she is helping him out after all. He took the end of the stick, and the two of them strolled together.

After a few twists and turns, they finally reached the middle of the maze. The fountain that Castorice spoke so fondly of was indeed present. It was an ordinary fountain in Kevin’s eyes, basically any fountain you can find in nearby parks or the center of some glamorous city. Nothing too special.

But to a child like Castorice? It must’ve looked magical. The fountain was a giant, pretty structure that could stream out water in mesmerising shapes. It is indeed something that would capture the hearts of many kids alike who have never seen these kinds of peculiar contraptions in their lives before. So Kevin could see why Castorice really adored the fountain.

“It is pretty!” Kevin said with a smile, Castorice nodded, still gazing at the fountain with a fond expression, “Indeed.”

Their shared moment was cut short when Kevin suddenly remembered why he’d even come here in the first place. While Castorice remained captivated by the fountain, he mentally summoned the system to check if that was the last percentage he missed.

[#MAIN QUEST#]

QUEST: EXPLORE THE CASTLE

TIME LIMIT: 32 HOURS

REWARD: 1 COIN

PROGRESS: [99%] INCOMPLETE

It’s not?!

No way. Don’t tell Kevin it’s seriously one of the royal chambers upstairs. That was supposed to be his last resort!

Think, Kevin, think. There had to be somewhere else. Someplace he overlooked. Anything but sneaking into a royal’s room, that just invites him one step closer to death’s door.

“You… okay there?” Castorice’s voice pulled him back upon noticing his sudden change of expression. “You’ve been staring off to the side for a while now…”

Kevin heedlessly turned to her with a hasty smile, “No—I mean— y-yeah! I’m fine, I just saw… a really interesting bug over there!” he quickly made up a white lie.

Castorice just looked at Kevin weirdly, but decided not to pry further. Instead, she simply said, “It’s getting late. We should head back soon…”

Kevin hummed in agreement. Besides, he needs to figure out where this unreasonable one percent is, he silently prays it’s not one of the royal chambers. He might as well jump off a ten-foot tower if it is.

Castorice led the way, both of them still holding onto the ends of the stick as they retraced their steps through the maze. Pretty quickly, they were freshly out of the maze. Castorice shook away the stick from Kevin’s grasp, rendering his hands now holding onto air, before quickly bidding goodbye. “I shall take my leave now.”

As she walked into the distance, Kevin called out, “See you soon!” Castorice only looked back slightly, with a bittersweet smile, before returning onto her path.

Alright, back to square one. Where in the world, or castle, has he missed?

The ginormous kitchen? But he and Lady Hyacine had already been there to sneak some snacks. The giant dining hall? Just rows of long tables and fancy chairs, surely that couldn’t be it. The pantries? There looks to be nothing notable or hidden in there from his point of view!

Kevin wandered the halls, turning every possibility over in his mind, and that was when he suddenly stopped. Stopped at the familiar narrow hallway. The same hallway that was blended so neatly into the wall that one could miss it. The same door that it’s edges were lined with cobwebs.

The castle’s library.

Kevin hadn’t entered the library due to Lady Hyacine’s prior advice. But it is a place he hasn’t explored, right? So it surely counts as exploring an unexplored area, right? It better be cause likewise, he really didn’t want to intrude on the royal chambers.

It doesn’t hurt to try, were Kevin’s last thoughts before twisting open the knob of the shabby door right in front of him. To his surprise, there wasn’t any dust flowing into his eyes after opening the door.

Inside was… lit? Someone’s in the library at a time like this? But wait, didn’t Lady Hyacine say the library hadn’t been used in ages?

Kevin stepped cautiously into the worn library. There were indeed a few books and shelves that were covered in specks of dust. But oddly enough, some were free from them.

While busy observing the library, he forgot to notice what was right in front of him. A sharp edge of a quill flew right past beside his face. It was fast and quick, like an arrow shooting out from a bow, nearly slitting through his frail skin.

Kevin’s heart almost leapt out of his mouth.

Excuse me?! Isn’t this a library? Since when did libraries come with random flying sharp objects? That quill could’ve scarred his face. Or worse, if he wasn’t careful, take out his eye in the process!

He finally faced the direction from which the flying quill ambushed from, and what came into Kevin’s view was—

And there, seated on a window seat, was someone who looked like they’d walked straight out of a celestial painting. Living and breathing in this world.

Their hair was a gradient masterpiece, soft cantaloupe blonde shade slowly blends into vivid red-orange, glowing like a warm fire amidst the low light surrounding them. Their eyes were vibrant gold, like the sun was personally knocking on your front door. Rosy sun-kissed cheeks with a small crooked red marking under their ethereal eyes. Draped in a majestic onyx-black robe, strikingly different from his white-elegant ones. Half-wrapped in a cherry wine toga that was held together by gold-plated garments. They looked nothing short of divine.

They seemed to be around Kevin’s age, give or take. But their presence? Unmatched.

The sight that befell Kevin was… heavenly. This person could rival the Aeon of Beauty, Idrila, from his own world. Actually, Kevin thinks that their beauty might just as well be on par with Idrila's.

Kevin forgot how to speak.

Conversely, the so-called heavenly human being that was sitting on a window seat, below them were more stacks of books, with a sage-coloured book in one of their hands, while the other was angled like they were throwing darts. Eyes glaring at Kevin like he’s about to crucify him.

“Who are you,” the so-called heavenly human being asked flatly. Their tone was childish, yet edged with a sharpness that made it feel anything but friendly. Their glare didn’t falter for a second.

Kevin did not answer. Instead, he slowly moved towards the heavenly human being… which prompted the same sage-coloured green book that they were reading to be thrown right in front of Kevin’s forehead. Strike!

Kevin tumbled backwards, crashing into a small stack of books on his way down. The sound of tumbling books falling was soon followed by a startled yelp and a low groan as he hit the floor.

The perpetrator simply clicked their tongue in annoyance and reached for another book from beneath, this time coloured indigo, and began flipping through its pages.

Kevin sat up, rubbing his forehead. “Ow—what was that for?” he asked, genuinely offended. The boy didn’t reply, he just stayed buried in his new book, eyes scanning the pages with cool indifference.

Dissatisfied, Kevin pushed himself to his feet again and stomped closer. “Hey, ignoring someone when they asked a question is quite rude!” he huffed. The boy, still peering at his book, coolly responded, “I can say the same for you, blockhead.”

Kevin’s jaw dropped. Wow. Okay, that was just plain rude. Did this kid forget to learn their manners?

The boy then let out a long sigh. “Speak, why is it that you’re here?” he said, eyes still glued to his book. Kevin crossed his arms. “Is the book so good that you can’t even look me in the face while asking?”

The same indigo-coloured book the boy was reading flew straight towards Kevin’s face. Second strike!

Kevin didn’t tumble down this one. Instead, he just grabbed the book that smacked him in the face, rubbing his forehead again as he glanced down at the title.

‘The Philosophy of War’

… Kids in this world were out here reading philosophical warfare tomes? Back when Kevin was that age, he was flipping through picture books about cool superheroes saving the world with their badass superpowers for Aeon’s sake!

“If you and I have nothing to say,” the boy said haughtily, not even looking up, “please see yourself out before I’m forced to resort to other means.” He was already flipping through a new book, which was coloured gray.

Oh, this one’s a stubborn one, alright. Kevin has met many stubborn people throughout his life, this one’s no different.

With newly acquired composure, Kevin bit back, “Too bad for you, I find this library quite comforting to be around.” He obstinately sat down near the boy. The boy finally spared him a glance and only sighed, “Fine, do what you wish,” and continued with his book.

Heavy silence. Only occasional page flips. No words from either of them. Just heavy silence.

…

It was quite suffocating for Kevin, with nothing better to do and his pride not letting him leave, Kevin reached toward one of the nearby stacks and pulled out a book. Might as well read something to pass the time, he thinks.

The book he grabbed was titled ‘The Art of Deception: How Humans Desire to Control’

… Maybe the next book would be more lighthearted? He reached for another.

‘The Downfall of Nikador’

… next one? As he reached for yet another.

‘The Day of Battle: 5000 Moons ago’

… Do they have anything here that isn’t about war, tragedy, or world-ending philosophical crises? What happened to the fun books? Or picture books? Or literally anything a child could read?

Giving up on book reading, Kevin glanced back at the boy again. The boy was, as expected, still reading his book. He looks like he is very immersed in whatever he’s currently reading. Trying once more, he attempted to initiate small talk with the boy, “So… what’s that book about?” Kevin asked. The boy did not look at his way, but he did answer Kevin, “Something you most likely won’t be interested in.” Ending the small talk immediately.

…

He’s even so hard to talk to! Why can’t he be more like Lady Hyacine or Castorice? Those two were at least somewhat approachable. This one? Talking to him felt like trying to hug an unfriendly cat. He silently thinks.

Kevin tried again, “Okay… what’s your name?” This time, the boy visibly flinched. “You… you don’t know who I am?” his eyes finally focused on Kevin with a mixture of shock and suspicion.

Kevin only naively tilted his head, “Was I supposed to know?” The boy stared at him like he’d just announced he didn’t know the most obvious thing in the world. “If you’re trying to act foolish just to gain my attention, cease at once, it will never work.”

Kevin raised his brows, even more confused than before. “I… really don’t know.” Now it was the boy’s turn to look thrown off. “...I cannot tell if you’re being serious or just incredibly good at pretending.”

Kevin felt mildly offended. Why would he ask in the first place if he already knows their name?!

“I gen..nuen…li don’t” Can his weird ability of managing to fumble up syllables not act out at a crucial time like this?!

The boy went silent, clearly contemplating something over, before finally giving Kevin an answer. “Mydeimos.” Mydeimos… Of course, his name sounded as majestic as he looked. If only his personality also matched the vibe.

“My…dei…mos…?” he tried to pronounce his name, he did get it right, but it was still quite hard for him to pronounce. Why did everyone in this world have names that felt like tongue-twisters?

“Aghh, can’t I just call you Mydei?” He blurted out in frustration. The gray-coloured book that Mydeimos had been reading sailed through the air and landed… right on Kevin’s face once more. Third strike!

At this rate, Kevin’s head was most likely as red as a freshly picked tomato with so many books being flung towards his way. “H-hey! Stop throwing books at me!” The boy didn’t laugh. Instead, he leaned forward slightly, gaze sharpening as he interrogated Kevin. “Now tell me, just who are you exactly.”

Ah, so he cannot avoid this question forever, can he?

Kevin pretended to rub his forehead a little longer than needed as a way to buy himself some time to think. Should he just call himself Kevin? Or should he use the name given to him, Phainon? Judging from Mydeimos’ reaction, he most likely does not know who this Phainon is. But if worst comes to worst and the boy blurted out his real name to people who do know the original Phainon, wouldn’t that particularly mean that he dug himself his own grave?

Pretending to be Phainon should be easy enough, considering they share the same personality-wise, and his name for work is also coincidentally Phainon. But those weren’t his biggest concerns.

It was the aftermath.

Yes, he’s been called Phainon many times. But that’s different. Cause deep down he knows, Phainon is just a name for work-related business, nothing more. His current situation isn’t like that. He needs to become Phainon. Who knows how long he has to play pretend as this Phainon just to return to his world?

What if one day he couldn’t tell where Kevin ended and Phainon began? What if he started confusing the two, blending their identities until there was nothing left of who he really was? Completely losing all that made Kevin, Kevin. Impostor syndrome was already sinking its claws into him despite not even making a choice.

Maybe, he can still act like himself even while using the name Phainon? They share the same personality, right? All the jokes, all the thoughts, all that make him as a whole. Would that work? Would that be enough to trick his brain? To keep it all from unraveling over time? Would that… work? After all the fiasco, he will surely return home, back as Kevin… right?

With a mental sigh, Kevin has finally made his decision.

“My name is… Phainon,” he finally answered Mydeimos.

Mydeimos only looked deeper in thought. “Phainon… that doesn’t sound like a name that originated from our land,” he muttered to himself before locking eyes with him once more, “Where did you come from?”

… Great question. How does one even answer a question that they themself don’t even know the answer to? Like as if he knows where the original Phainon came from!

His solution? Make things up on the spot, once again!

“I, uh…” he stammered, then blurted, “I came from… Aedes Elysiae!” he lied, technically he didn’t, cause that is where he really was from, but still!

“Aedes… Ely…siae?” Mydeimos looked at him, confused. Unfamiliar with where he was referring to.

Like any good liar would, he needs to make up some sort of story to pair with the lie to make it more convincing. He nodded, already piecing together a backstory in real-time. “It’s a very small village! Yeah, really tiny. Easy to miss.”

“The village may be small, but it’s still full of wonderful people!” he added more, trying to sound more conclusive. Mydeimos gave a single nod. “Alright, Phainon. It’s nice knowing you.”

…

Nice? Which part of this meeting was nice? What about the three books that smacked the living daylights out of him?!

But other than that, being called Phainon feels… weird. It feels as if he’s stealing someone’s identity, which he kinda did to be fair. But he has already made his choice, and there is no going back.

From today onwards, he is no longer named Kevin, ‘renowned artist under the pseudonym Phainon’ of Aedes Elysiae. He shall be known only as Phainon of Aedes Elysiae.

Chapter Text

Ke—

No. He is no longer Kevin. He had that established today, he hadn't gone through all that mental turmoil for nothing. He is now Phainon. Phainon of Aedes Elysiae.

Phainon looked at Mydeimos, “It’s… nice knowing you too, Mydei…mos.” he said, tone slightly offended. Mydeimos didn’t seem to care about the tone, instead he asked Phainon yet another question, “What is your purpose coming here?”

This question suddenly reminded Phainon of why he was even here in the first place, the one percent. Phainon mentally notes himself to check his quest progression later. Right now, he’s got a stubborn kid to entertain. “I came here cause… I got curious!” he lied. Mydeimos didn’t seem to question him one bit. “I see,” he replied, letting him off the hook just like that.

Phainon thinks that if one day his artist career is somehow in shambles, he might take a shot at the acting industry, with how easily he can fool these people with just a few made-up white lies and acting of his.

“You should head back,” Mydeimos said as he reached for another book, this time coloured ruby. “Your parents must’ve been worried sick.”

Parents... Did the original Phainon even have parents? He had no idea. But given that he was stuck sleeping in a dungeon now, it seemed likely the original Phainon had been estranged from them for a long time ago.

But then again, he did seem to be sleeping in the castle for a while. Does that count as him also living here?

“I live here!” Phainon happily announced, which resulted in Mydeimos nearly choking on his spit. “You… what?” he managed.

Phainon only tilted his head innocently, completely unaware of how he had just responded to Mydeimos with one of the most diabolical answers ever, “Yeah, I have a room of my own here!” he said, as though it was the most normal thing in the world. Mydeimos stared at Phainon in disbelief. Phainon, still blissfully unaware, only continued, “The lowest level of the castle!” he declared.

Mydeimos's eyes went wide, his mouth opening and closing, struggling to find a response. “Oh,” was what he could only mutter. Then, under his breath, Mydeimos quietly mumbled, “I see that foolish man still had not admonished that ridiculous tradition.”

… Tradition? What kind of tradition makes a child sleep in a dungeon? This wasn’t tradition, this was more like child abuse disguised as one!

Phainon, now intrigued, pretended to act innocent in an attempt to learn more, “Tradition? What tradition?” Mydeimos glanced at Phainon for a moment and took a deep breath. Soon, he closed his eyes and rubbed his temple, looking like he was contemplating hard on something. He took his time before finally saying, “You’ve been sacrificed.”

…

Well, that was rather… straightforward of him!

But this sure does explain to Phainon a lot. Like the weird stares he’s received throughout the day, and Lady Hyacine whispering to him and sneaking things for him like she’s committing a crime in daylight. Not to mention the pitiful state of his room before Lady Hyacine helped him clean it up.

Wait, wrong focus. The original Phainon had been sacrificed?!

“I’m—what—?!” Phainon jumped up and shouted before Mydeimos quickly rushed towards him and covered his mouth shut with his hand. "You moron," he whisper-shouted. "You’re gonna attract more attention than we need!"

His grip on Phainon was strong, too strong actually. Phainon feels as if he is almost about to suffocate under his strong grip. What have they been feeding this kid? Phainon raised both of his hands up, acknowledging his mistake and Mydeimos finally released him.

"Look," Mydeimos continued, his voice quieter now, "I’m only telling you this because I, myself, object to this... preposterous so-called ‘tradition’," he stated, his expression stiffening. "I believe everyone, Kremnoan or not, deserves to be treated equally."

Phainon nodded, slowly piecing together what Mydeimos was trying to say. “So… can you tell me what sort of ‘tradition’ this is?” he asked. Mydeimos only sighed, looking uncomfortable. “It’s rather…unpleasant to explain.” He exhaled, “Do you still wish to know?” he asked, giving Phainon one last chance for confirmation. Phainon gave a firm nod. "Yes, I want to know."

Mydeimos closed his eyes, looking as if he were trying to think of a way to simplify whatever he was about to reveal to a ten-year-old. "It all began during the first bloodshed," he started. "Every faction was fighting against each other, trying to claim more land."

"The people of the Land of Castrum came out on top, conquering the most territory. As a way to ensure peace, each year the other factions will send in a child under the age of adolescence as a sacrifice. It’s their way of begging us not to take more of their beloved land,” Mydeimos explained all in one breath.

…

Phainon is appalled. In a bad way.

So you’re telling him that the original Phainon was literally offered as a sacrifice for the sake of world peace? How... scandalous.

He should’ve expected this, really. Cyrene had already ranted to him about how bad the novel is to him on a random day. And worst of all, he himself even quoted that this novel sounds like some grotesque dark fantasy novel to her. He should’ve seen this coming from miles away.

But still, he is still somehow surprised regardless. Just how dark can this story actually get? Cyrene, just how in the world did you even manage to sit through all of this?

Mydeimos noticed Phainon’s aghast expression and looked away from his line of sight, either out of pity or embarrassment, nobody knows, except for himself, probably. “It has already happened,” he heaved. "Dwelling on the past won’t change anything."

"I’m just surprised someone as young as you can even grasp what I just said," Mydeimos sneered. He reached back for his ruby-colored book, sat back down in the same window seat, and flipped it open. “Most people your age would’ve thought that I’m just spouting a bunch of nonsensical horror tales just to scare them.”

…

To be quite fair, Phainon wasn’t really a child, at least not in the mental sense kind of way anyway. But Mydeimos wasn’t exactly any better too alright?! Revealing all of this to Phainon so casually just like that!

… Though he did ask for it himself, so it isn’t entirely his fault either.

Phainon shook his head, “Like you said, it has already happened, what can I even do about it?” he said, accepting the reality surprisingly quickly. It wasn’t the most absurd thing Phainon had experienced today anyway. From possessing a body to ridiculous sci-fi systems that determined his fate. Comparing that to whatever Mydeimos had just told him? Yeah, it wasn’t the craziest thing he had just experienced on hand today.

Phainon sat back down, a resigned look on his face. "So, what do we do now?" he asked. “I mean, as the children of sa…cri…fyes?”

Mydeimos glanced up briefly before answering, still flipping through his book. "Usually, the boys are trained to fight in battles," he said. "As for the girls, they’re trained to serve the royals in the future."

So, typical lower-ranking positions in fantasy stories, got it. Does this also imply that the original Phainon got injured during training, leading to his stay in the patient’s chambers? Fighting battles for them… did the original Phainon die in the middle of a heated battle? Ah, he should’ve asked Cyrene about how the original Phainon even met his end in the first place...

Not only were boys sacrificed, but girls too? Phainon’s thoughts came to a sudden halt.

Castorice… she was wearing the same white-elegant robes as Phainon’s. Not only that, she looked and felt out of place when compared to the children who were playing in the garden. She was also very anxious throughout the day while conversing with him. Was she… also a sacrifice? Poor Castorice…

The more Phainon pondered it, the more he realized that this world might be far more complex than he’d initially thought. Is this what Mem meant by ‘rewriting the story’? Or is Phainon overthinking too much of it, and rewriting the story simply meant as Phainon needing to fix the story’s awful ending?

Ah, Phainon doesn’t know. For all he cares right now is returning back home.

Phainon nodded silently. Mydeimos didn’t say anything more, he simply returned to his book. Both of them are sitting in silence, one deep in their thoughts whilst the other is absorbed in his reading.

Pessimistic thoughts aside, Mydeimos.

Of everyone Phainon had encountered today, Mydeimos stood out the most. He looked and dressed differently amongst them all. The way he spoke was so... dignified. The air around him made it feel like he was someone important, almost like he was a part of royalty. Not only did he look as majestic as ever, but he also seemed to be knowledgeable about certain topics. After all, he was the one who’d shared so much valuable information with Phainon.

Just who exactly is Mydeimos anyway? The downside of not knowing the details of the novel he was stuck in was starting to weigh on him. Maybe he could ask Mem later? If Mem would even provide him with any useful insight, that is.

But all in all, he had a feeling that Mydeimos might become another key ally down the road. Maybe he should try to win him over a bit more. Though his past attempts had resulted in quite the comedic failures, he wasn’t ready to give up just yet. It couldn’t hurt to try more, right?

Phainon’s ultimate three-step-by-step guide to becoming friends with someone who you’ve just met! Step one: Take the initiative!

Phainon stood up, trying to edge closer to Mydeimos, but he was quickly stopped when Mydeimos held up his ruby-colored book right in front of his face. Surprisingly this time, the book didn’t hit his face. Mydeimos held the book right in front of his face. “Just because I talked to you doesn’t mean I approve of your company,” Mydeimos said coldly.

… Step two: Strike up a conversation, even though the direction is not heading the way he initially planned!

Phainon faked a whine, “But in my eyes, we’re friends now!” Those same sentence that Phainon spoke was then met by the same ruby-coloured book Mydeimos was reading to be smacked in his forehead, like a teacher dissatisfied with his student’s work. "Ow! What was that for?" Phainon winced, rubbing his head. Mydeimos shook his head in disapproval. “We’ve only met for a few minutes, we’re not close enough to consider each other as ‘friends’.”

…

At least the conversation was going somewhere. It’s fine, there’s still the next step! Step three: Find common interests, even if said ‘interest’ is a bit far-fetched!

Phainon refused to give up, “But we don’t hate each other, so that totally counts as being friends to me!” he said, grinning shamelessly. Mydeimos stared at him, perplexed. “You truly have no shame, do you?” he said, before letting out a long and defeated sigh. “Fine, do whatever you want, I suppose.”

And the guide was a success! Victory for Phainon!

Now for Phainon’s supreme ways on how to get closer to your new friend, even though it feels as if he may or may not have skipped a few crucial steps ahead! First method: Nicknames! Who doesn’t give their lovely new friend a nickname?

“Great! Does that mean I get to call you Mydei?” Phainon grinned even more. Mydeimos responded by lightly smacking Phainon’s forehead with his book. “No. Mydeimos.”

…

Let’s try that again! First method: Nicknames!

“Mydei.” It earned him another light smack from the book. “Mydeimos.” Mydeimos coldheartedly said, again.

…

If Mydeimos wanted to be stubborn, Phainon could be stubborn too. He has played these games before. He can play them again. First method: Nicknames.

“De!” Phainon proudly declared. This time, instead of a light smack, Mydeimos slammed the book full force into Phainon’s face, sending him back to the library’s ground once again.

…

Phainon’s supreme ways on how to get closer to your new friend, even though it feels as if he may or may not have skipped a few crucial steps ahead! resulted in…! Failure.

“Tsk, you owe an apology to all the books that you’ve wronged today,” Mydeimos said while clicking his tongue. Phainon sat up, rubbing his sore face. “H-hey! It wasn’t me who abused these poor books for their own satis…fac…tion?” he retorted. Mydeimos crossed his arms, looking utterly unimpressed. “Not my fault you’re being insufferable, you dolt.”

…

The more Phainon talks to Mydeimos, the more he feels like Mydeimos is secretly just a humanoid grouchy cat found in the streets. Maybe he should’ve tried the guide on how to befriend a cat instead? Whatever, Phainon’s already so invested in this little scheme of his that he refuses to surrender.

Let’s re-retry that again! Phainon’s supreme ways on how to get closer to your new friend, even though it feels as if he may or may not have skipped a few crucial steps ahead! First method: Nicknames!

“Alright fine, I’ll apologise to all these books I’ve somehow wronged, only if you let me call you Mydei.” Phainon offered. Mydeimos shot his offer down immediately. "I’ll decline. The offer is simply not tempting enough for me to accept." He added, with a touch of sarcasm, "You should never become a merchant with those terrible negotiation skills of yours."

…

Phainon will never admit it but he was slightly offended by that jab. He was a successful artist back in his world! He has struck plenty of business deals with art galleries here and there! He should know business better than this kid! So how come he’s currently being humbled by this kid?!

He cleared his throat. "It was a good offer, no?" Mydeimos only sighed deeply, “Is it really that hard for you to just call me Mydeimos?”

"Then, is Mydei really that awful to you?" Phainon pressed, and Mydeimos retorted back. "The names Mydei and Mydeimos are only one syllable apart. Is it really that hard for you to say one extra syllable?"

…

Phainon’s supreme ways on how to get closer to your new friend, even though it feels as if he may or may not have skipped a few crucial steps ahead! First method: Nicknames! Gaslighting.

Phainon, determined not to give up, decided to pull out his ultimate move—selling out his cute childlike charms by acting all pitiful and weakening his opponent's resolve!

He openly pulled out his best googly-eyed expression, paired with the cutest pout he could muster, and the most woeful tone he could make, “But… Mydei sounds better and cuter to me…”

Mydeimos blinked, his eyes widening from shock. He quickly turned away, refusing to look Phainon in the eyes. He covered his face with his hands, but to no avail, as Phainon could still see his ears tip faintly blushing red.

Hah, never underestimate the deadly power of a child's adorable charm!

Mydeimos, still refusing to meet Phainon face-to-face. “F-fine! You can call me Mydei!” he stuttered in between breaths.

Phainon’s supreme ways on how to get closer to your new friend, even though it feels as if he may or may not have skipped a few crucial steps ahead! First method? A success!

Inside, Phainon is wearing the most devilish smirk one could ever imagine. But on the outside, he kept up his act, wide-eyed and full of feigned excitement. “Really?” he exclaimed, mouth agape with joy. Anyone could mistake Phainon as a small puppy if they saw the scene right before them, complete with imaginary floppy ears and a wagging tail.

Mydeimos was still stammering, “O-only under one condition!” he quickly demanded. “You can only call me that when the both of us are alone, in any other situation, I shall personally deliver a punch to your face,” he threatened, eyes narrowed.

Phainon didn’t care about any of that, this was still a sweet sweet victory for him. “Okay, I promise!” He grinned, with his eyes now in crescent shapes. Mydeimos let out an exasperated sigh, finally meeting Phainon’s gaze. “It’s getting late, you need to head back. Unless you’d rather get caught by the guards patrolling?”

“What about you, Mydei?” Phainon asked, already using his privilege of calling Mydeimos Mydei against him. Ah, the taste of victory had never been sweeter than before. This made Mydeimos—no, Mydei sighing even harder, he shook his head. “Worry about yourself first before you worry about others, fool.”

With that, Phainon stood up and made his way towards the library’s door. But before he leaves…

Phainon’s supreme ways on how to get closer to your new friend, even though it feels as if he may or may not have skipped a few crucial steps ahead! Second method: Making hangout plans!

Phainon turned around, a hidden mischievous grin inside. “Will you still be in this library tomorrow?” he asked. “Depends on my mood,” Mydei replied, nonchalantly.

Depends on your mood? Alright, he can work with that.

Phainon nodded, “Alright, see you tomorrow!” he bade goodbye, emphasizing the word tomorrow, and waved enthusiastically as he left the library’s door. Now Mydei will have no choice but to see Phainon tomorrow! Flawless! Truly flawless!

Second method? Partial success! All he needed to do now was show up again tomorrow night and hope to see Mydei there as well!

As he made his way back, Phainon took a moment to check his quest progression. Oh how he silently prayed that the library was indeed the last place he had missed.

[#MAIN QUEST#]

QUEST: EXPLORE THE CASTLE

TIME LIMIT: 48 HOURS

REWARD: 1 COIN

PROGRESS: [100%] COMPLETE

>CLAIM REWARD<

*NOTE: YOU HAVE 48 HOURS TO CLAIM YOUR REWARD*

Phainon threw both hands up in the air, silently celebrating his victory in the middle of the hallway. "Nice!" he muttered. The moment was quickly followed by the familiar ding of his reward. He definitely deserved that coin after all the trouble he'd gone through for just a single percent.

The screen flickered as a blur of incomprehensible, jumbled-up code flashed across his vision. Slowly, the lines began to shift, forming new sentences on the screen. A new quest appeared, waiting for Phainon to complete.

[#MAIN QUEST#]

QUEST: DEFEAT 10 OPPONENTS

TIME LIMIT: 168 HOURS

REWARD: 2 COINS

PROGRESS: [0/10] INCOMPLETE

*NOTE: DEFEATING THE SAME OPPONENT REPEATEDLY WILL NOT BE ACCOUNTED FOR THE COUNTER*

…

Truly, a scummy cheating system this is.

Could Phainon even fight with this body’s pathetic constitution? And what did "opponents" even mean? Was he supposed to go out into this world and fight monsters or dragons? Two measly coins for defeating ten opponents? At this rate, heaven’s gates might open for him first before he could even make progress.

And one hundred sixty-eight hours? What does that even mean in terms of days? Can’t the system just convert that into something more useful other than hours?

As if the System heard his complaints, the System quickly adjusted the quest details, changing the wordings of the time limit.

[#MAIN QUEST#]

QUEST: DEFEAT 10 OPPONENTS

TIME LIMIT: 604783 SECONDS

REWARD: 2 COINS

PROGRESS: [0/10] INCOMPLETE

*NOTE: TIME IS TICKING USER PHAINON*

…

This… this downright awful scummy system!

Six hundred four thousand seven hundred eighty—what? Seconds? And it’s also slowly ticking away as time goes on?

That doesn’t make it better, it only stresses Phainon out even more. How much does… whatever that massive number is… actually translate to in days?

System, you’re supposed to help me, and not play petty tricks like whatever this is! Phainon internally criticised the system, shaking his head in frustration. The system only made more sounds of beeps and boops before finally updating the quest menu with the latest changes.

[#MAIN QUEST#]

QUEST: DEFEAT 10 OPPONENTS

TIME LIMIT: [REDACTED]

REWARD: 2 COINS

PROGRESS: [-10/10] INCOMPLETE

*NOTE: USER PHAINON IS BULLYING POOR OLD SYSTEM THEREFORE SYSTEM IS NOW ON STRIKE*

…

Great.

Absolutely great.

The timer is now hidden, he can’t even see how much time he’s given. This is getting more and more ridiculous as time goes on. It’s only his first day here, cut him some slack!

Worst of all? Negative ten slash ten. Is this even allowed? Just because Phainon pissed off the system doesn’t mean it had to go this far! Does this mean he now has to fight ten more opponents just to finish this stupid quest?!

There were more sounds of the menu flickering that followed after Phainon had finished his rant.

[#MAIN QUEST#]

QUEST: DEFEAT 10 OPPONENTS

TIME LIMIT: [REDACTED]

REWARD: 2 COINS

PROGRESS: [-10/10] INCOMPLETE

*NOTE: USER PHAINON DID NOT SPECIFICALLY SPECIFY WHAT CHANGES THE USER WANTS, SO IT IS NOT THE SYSTEM’S FAULT BY DEFAULT*

…

System, by any chance do you have selective hearing? Didn’t he ask what the time meant in terms of days beforehand?!

“All for the sake of going back home… all for the sake of going back… home…” Phainon muttered to himself as he opened the door to his chamber. He was beyond ready to rest after everything that had happened today.

He collapsed onto his ‘bed’, a small groan soon came after as he forgot his bed was just a sad wooden board now. He is starting to miss his old bed back in his home.

His eyelids slowly fluttered shut as fatigue soon overtook him. At last, he can finally sleep without any worries bothering him… kind of. But hey, a boy needs his beauty sleep, right? Gotta take care of this body somehow! What about his worries? It’s fine, future Phainon will handle them sometime in the future!

Stressful thoughts aside, Phainon slept peacefully throughout the night despite all the chaos and horrors that he had just gone through today, snuggled on his wooden board bed with the cushion and blanket Hyacine had kindly provided.

After all, tomorrow is another day.

Chapter Text

According to the many professional researchers who graduated from the prestigious Penacony Paperfold University College, the general guideline for most healthy humans requires roughly between seven to nine hours of sleep per day. However, there are also external factors that individuals need to look out for to determine how many hours of sleep their body personally requires. Not only that, but depending on the individual’s age, their sleeping requirements could vary. For example, a newborn infant and a toddler require between fourteen to seventeen hours of sleep per day, as their body are still growing. School-aged children typically require between nine to twelve hours as their bodies are slowly developing, teens need eight to ten, and older adults differ depending on their body’s condition.

Pointing back to the research, children are required to have at least minimum from nine to twelve hours of sleep as their bodies are still in the stage of development. And the research also states that external factors would need to be accounted for, depending on one’s body conditions. Therefore, if we take a look at the original Phainon’s body, he is by no means currently a child, still developing, right? Adding the fact that his body is also currently in a very awful state, that he could practically faint with just merely thirty steps in, indicates he is a child with some sort of condition, right?

So, can anyone, preferably someone who is qualified enough to explain the thought process behind whatever is happening right now, explain to our current Phainon—why the heck is he currently being dragged away by two who Phainon assumes to be the royal guards of the castle, with their flashy golden armours and helmets, so damn early in the morning?!

It all began when Phainon was still asleep in his ‘bed’, his mind still probably lurking around in his dream realm. He couldn’t remember exactly what he dreamed about, but hopefully it was something good. Then out comes a sudden slam, kicking him out of his blissful dream.

Now, if someone suddenly got woken up, they would experience something called sleep inertia, right? A groggy, disoriented state that nobody likes, right? Not so fun fact, Phainon could barely even react to his sleep inertia before he got forcefully dragged out by two guards from his chamber, unwillingly. He couldn’t even register what was actually going on before he heard chatter amongst the adults that they had passed by along the way.

Phainon swore he had only just rested for a probable meager four to five hours at max. This poor body isn’t helping him as well, he could already feel the sleep deprivation seeping up to him. Oh this body was way beyond saving if things like this keep happening to him.

The only good part about this sudden misfortune is that the two guards were carrying Phainon to who knows where instead of needing him to walk, if that could even count as something good.

He was too tired to even flail around or attempt to talk to the guards. Okay but, since he technically isn’t doing the walking himself, can he maybe… sleep for a little longer? Five minutes! Just five minutes is all he asks fo—

It’s as if someone out there heard his plea, they decided to do the opposite of what Phainon wished for instead.

Before he knew it, he found himself lying weakly on a dusty, cold ground of who knows where. The two guards who had carried him all the way here just threw him off to the ground and left. No prior warning, no prior notice, no nothing.

If Phainon were to give these two a rating for their superb transportation services, it would be zero stars. Feedback? Uncomfortable ride. Lack of hospitality. Poor demeanour. Zero out of ten, would not recommend. Find someone else instead.

Whoever it was that heard his plea, please never grant wishes ever again. Thank you.

“You surely had enough rest now, young boy.” A rowdy voice said before kicking Phainon’s body from the back. The kick was nothing but unpleasant, it sent Phainon rolling on the same cold, dusty ground. His elegant white robes were no longer elegant as they were tainted by the bags of dust from the floor.

“Why are you still lying on the floor? Stand up! There’s no time for you to slack around now!” The same rowdy voice roared from behind.

…

Excuse me? You just kicked a child who had a fragile body? You expect them to stand up this instant? Not only that, isn’t this basically just child abu—

“Hyacinthia won’t be here to save you today, little boy. Stand up right now or else you will be punished this instant!” The same rowdy voice shouted, cutting off whatever Phainon was thinking.

He is beginning to feel irritated by how hideous whoever this person is sounds. Let Phainon monologue in peace for Aeon’s sake! Can’t have nice things for once in this new world.

Phainon quietly groaned to himself as he slowly stood up. His poor body quivered slightly, still experiencing the drawbacks of that nasty kick. Before Phainon could steadily prop himself back and look at his surroundings, a surprise kick from behind him sent him straight flying down to the floor once more. Phainon yelped in surprise as the kick resulted in him face-planting himself on the floor. The children who were surrounding wherever this is all laughed, amused by Phainon’s tragic show. “Too apathetic!” The voice laughed.

With another silent groan, he tried to stand back up, only to be met with another kick, but this time it was on the front, sending Phainon falling backwards to the floor. More laughter ensues, clearly entertained by Phainon’s suffering. “Too slow!” The voice yelled.

Phainon finally had a clear view of who his perpetrator was, albeit not in a way he preferred. It was a tall and muscular guy, hair frivolously styled, wearing another type of armour that was sort of different than the two guards, but not by a lot.

From the way this guy can freely call out Lady Hyacine’s full name, this is most likely someone of high status. Was he the supposed ‘trainer’ that she spoke about yesterday? If so, he is clearly doing a terrible job as a ‘trainer’, whatever that role even means.

Phainon didn’t have enough energy to even let out a groan anymore, but he was determined not to give up. He slowly and painfully stood up once more. Now knowing the patterns of the kicks, he attempted to dodge the kick but to no avail, this body was too weak, it could barely register Phainon’s cogitations. It wasn’t long before he found himself wincing while staring at the pitiful, dusty ground once again.

“Too feeble!” The voice loudly proclaimed. Yeah, no kidding. Phainon also knows that, no need to announce it for all the world to hear now.

The longer Phainon stays in this world, the more he feels as if he’s playing some sort of virtual reality simulation game, except the word ‘virtual’ is nowhere to be seen in his current situation.

First, it was a walking simulator from hell. Sure, at least he had help from others with that one. But now, it’s a falling simulator from pandemonium, with nobody around to help him out. Phainon already couldn’t recall the number of times he had fallen to the ground in the span of two days. Just two days, mind you!

Though he will give props to this weak body for still not giving up despite all of those painful suffering sessions. A miracle he’d say. If only this miracle were also used in other aspects as well.

The waves of laughter from the children roared even louder, some were even giving compliments to the supposed trainer who was tormenting Phainon here. Just how scummy are the people here in this world that they have to resort to child abuse of all things as a sick form of entertainment?!

The more Phainon grimaced, the more his body winced in pain. It doesn’t make it any better as he is stuck in a child’s body, a child who was anemic as well, making the pain ten times unbearable. The kicks hurt so much, it hurts so much, it hurts so damn much.

Then, a faint memory suddenly went through him. A very sentimental memory.

It was a normal night. The chilly breezy air fills the sky as the lights outside slowly dim one by one. He was no older than five, wrapped around in the comforts of his blankets, sobbing softly. He had just had a nightmare, nothing sort of pleasant. He was all alone in his room, crying because of a stupid nightmare.

His parents were nowhere to be seen, they were never ever home to begin with. Throughout his entire life, only his sister, Cyrene, was ever there for him, and this time is no different. Cyrene rushed into his room, seeing him all curled up in his bed. She took no time and immediately sat near the edge of his bed, softly rubbing circles around his back, attempting to soothe her crying brother.

And it always worked, as she always gave the kindest smile, the warmest hugs, and the softest kisses. He slowly unwrapped his blankets and turned to Cyrene for comfort, and Cyrene was always welcoming to him.

He said nothing, only giving in to her embrace. She didn’t mind, she never did mind. It was that moment, she spoke the very sentence that he never forgot. “If Little Kevin ever finds himself feeling scared or lonely one day and sister Cyrene isn’t around, remember to close your eyes, and imagine the things that make Kevin the happiest kid in the world until he is no longer feeling down!”

He finally closed his eyes, trying his best to keep his tears from trickling down. What he sees isn’t a place filled with darkness, but a place filled with things he loves. The blank canvas that was waiting to be painted in beautiful colours, the worn paintbrushes that accompanied him for years, and Cyrene sitting somewhere between these two, warmly smiling in the distance.

Sister… Cyrene… I miss you so much. When will you come find me like you always do?

The children's laughters in the background was still boisterous, completely forgetting about Phainon’s lifeless body lying on the ground. It’s fine, not like he would want more spotlight shining on him with his current condition anyway.

Suddenly, a familiar voice called out. “Psst, over here!”

Sister…? Cyrene…? Is that you…?

Phainon, using what was most likely his last remaining energy that was left in the body, turned over to the voice, feeling hopeful. But turns out, it was none other than his oh-so-most-trusty and reliable personal assistant, Mem, hiding behind the rows of weapon racks.

Weapon racks? Now that he thinks about it, is he currently in some kind of training grounds or an arena?

With a twirl of its paw, more puffs of pink glittery confections surround Mem as something slowly materializes. A mysterious bottle of eminence purple liquid was formed. Mem gently rolled the mystery drink to Phainon’s side, the bottle soon stopped in its tracks as it bumped into Phainon’s shoulder.

“Drink it!” Mem whisper-shouted. Phainon took a quick glance at the bottle. There were bubbles… oozing inside the bottle. Popping and forming new ones as the last one broke. Adding the fact that this mysterious liquid was coloured purple…

Now don’t get him wrong, purple is a very pretty colour. The boundless shades and nuances of purple will make any painting look delicate and richer. But currently, this is making him feel quite the opposite.

The faded muddy purple, adding whatever ingredients that were mixed inside and causing the liquids to form bubbles in this strange concoction made it… really unsightly. The more Phainon looks at it, the more this strange drink that Mem passed to him looks like poison.

Mem, are you secretly trying to plot some kind of assassination attempt against him?

Mem stared at Phainon, dumbfounded. “You—Phainon, you numskull, just drink it!” Phainon returned back the sentiment with the most deadpanned look that a half-dead-half-alive child could manage, eyes darting back and forth toward Mem and the bottle that conveyed a silent message. You expect me to drink whatever this is and not die in the process?

“Just trust Mem on this! Unless you’d prefer feeling like a lifeless sack for the entire day.” Mem groaned.

Phainon stared at the bottle once more. He really didn’t want to drink this. It looks downright awful. Straight up looks like something you’d find in illegal drug stores. But he also didn’t want to lie dead on the ground for the entire day as well.

With a sharp exhale, Phainon grabbed the bottle with his shaky hands, opening the lid and downing the entire bottle with his eyes closed. Feigning ignorance is the strongest form of reassurance one could ever do after all.

The taste is surprisingly… not any better, who could’ve figured. If he were to describe the taste. It was disgusting, awful, horrible, and any other bad-tasting words that were in the vocabulary. It tastes as if someone were to put raw fish and a carton worth of egg yolks inside a blender, adding some purple dye into the mix as well. Was this how Cyrene felt whenever he tried to cook something for her?

If this body’s face weren’t as pale as a ghost thanks to their lack of vitamins, his face would’ve turned green and then white in an instant. His eyebrows were also clutching onto his face like they’re hanging onto their dear lives. Mem, are you sure this strange drink was supposed to help him and not make him suffer even more than this body can handle?

Mem did not answer Phainon’s second question. “Does your body feel lighter now?”

On second thought, his body did indeed feel better. Way better than before actually. In fact, all of his pain that he was feeling before was entirely gone! He could even wiggle his hands and legs without the depressing feeling of fatigue stopping him.

Mem nodded satisfyingly while crossing both of its paws. “Hehe, the higher-ups had decided to gift you a little something after seeing you suffering in this world miserably without making much progress.”

…

Okay fine, he will pretend he didn’t hear the jab and be grateful. Thanks to whichever higher-ups up there who tuned in to watch ‘Phainon’s misery show airing on live camera’ for their generous little gift, even if it tasted gross. Speaking of that, can they also learn how to concoct a better drink in the meanti—

“If you wish for the higher-ups to forever curse you, Mem won’t stop you,” Mem said as it shook its shoulder nonchalantly.

Hahaha, what was he about to say again? He totally forgot! Thank you, higher-ups! You are truly the best! No doubt! Please continue to look after him with care and care only!

Mem could be found suppressing its laughter behind the rack, very entertained by Phainon’s sudden shift in sides. What a traitor, finding amusement in his affliction. “In Mem’s defence, this was indeed very funny.” The traitor snickered between its giggles.

Then in Phainon’s defence, he sure as heck did not want his path to returning home to become adorned with spikes paving his way.

“Hey, what are you mumbling to yourself about, huh little kiddo?” The irritating voice stormed across the place. Oh how much Phainon wishes he could punch the guy in his gut and watch him grovel in pain as he begs Phainon for forgiveness.

Before Mem disappeared into thin air, “Hmm, why don’t you go ahead and let your intrusive thoughts win for today?” it ominously said, and turned into specks of pink glitter mid-air once again.

…

What did… Mem meant by that…?

“Hey, are you ignoring me, you little punk?!” The voice raved, raising his octaves by a few levels, almost hurting Phainon’s poor ears by doing that. Hey now, Phainon may be weak, but he is not deaf, thank you very much!

Phainon pretended he was still suffering from the injuries that were long gone by now, slowly stood up and faced the unruly adult, glaring eye-to-eye. “Oh? You've got some nerve looking at me like that,” the supposed ‘trainer’ boasted.

Like before, he flung his legs up high, aiming straight at Phainon’s stomach. But unlike before, Phainon dodged his kick, making the guy almost fumble up his stance.

Oh, Phainon finally understood what Mem just told him.

“Wha—hey! Just because you were able to dodge the first doesn’t mean you can dodge the next!” the guy hissed, before aiming his leg back at his torso. Phainon swiftly dodged this next kick as well, rendering the children watching speechless.

The ‘trainer’ is starting to get annoyed, “You little punk, how dare you avoid all my attacks like a wimp!” Instead of flinging his legs like the last two attempts, he threw his fist at Phainon’s face.

Phainon, catching wind of his, blocked his punch with his two hands, struggling to hold it off. The guy only smirked, sending his other fist towards Phainon’s direction.

The thing is, sometimes people can forget that a child’s body is way more nimble and flexible than most adults. But not Phainon though, he had personally faced the wrath of babysitting the next door’s neighbour’s kid while they were away, and that was something that Phainon did not want to experience ever again, at least without Cyrene around being there for him.

Phainon swiftly ducked underneath while also releasing the guy’s fist from his grasp, resulting in the same guy who was bullying Phainon moments ago now tumbling downwards and tripped himself on the ground.

The children all watched with their mouths agape, none dared to mutter any sound. Phainon on the other hand, was silently celebrating his newfound victory against his bully. Having a healthy body feels so great, thanks higher-ups!

“What’s… going on? Is everyone… alright?” Another familiar voice called out from the distance. It’s Lady Hyacine!

Hyacine panted, catching her breath by the metal gates as she slowed down from her pace. A petite girl with a light purple mane soon came after Hyacine and was peeking beside the gate, looking slightly worried. It was none other than Castorice! Did Castorice notice the commotion going on and call for Lady Hyacine?

Hyacine’s eyes skimmed through the area before landing on the sight that is Phainon standing there awkwardly while the guy was still face-planting himself on the ground.

A moment of silence as the wind blew by.

“...” Phainon looked at Hyacine.

“...” Hyacine looked at Phainon.

“...” The guy who was still lounging on the ground.

Phainon slowly raised his hands up, “I didn’t do anything,” he quietly admits, breaking the gawky atmosphere that was building up in this place. Hyacine blinked not once, but twice as she placed a hand on her head as she sighed, “Could anyone fill me in on what just happened?”

As Phainon was about to open his mouth, someone interrupted him. “It’s him! He knocked the coach out!” A child called out. “Yeah, exactly! It’s his fault, Miss Cinny!” Another came. “We were all watching, right everyone?” The other yelled, and the crowd, consisting of children, all agreed in unison as they all put the blame on Phainon.

What the hell, these lousy children! Weren’t you all the same bunch that watched Phainon suffer moments ago?!

Hyacine rubbed her temples, “Quiet now everyone…” as she sighed, slowly turning her attention to Phainon. “Little one… would you like to explain your part of this story?”

“I didn’t do anything, I swear!” Phainon pleaded, wide-eyed, sounding desperate. Lady Hyacine, you really gotta believe in him, please! You’re his only hope of evacuating from this situation that he didn’t even ask to be in the first place!

Hyacine calmly walked towards Phainon with her signature gentle smile. “It’s okay, little one, take a deep breath with Lady Hyacine, hmm?” Hyacine ruffled Phainon’s soft hair with one hand while placing her other hand on her chest.

“Follow me, breathe in—” she spoke as she inhaled, Phainon doing the same as his chest rose up. “—then breathe out.” She huffed out. Phainon soon followed as his chest lowered.

Hyacine only ruffled his hair even more, “Feeling better?” she asked gently. Phainon didn’t even know he was panicking until Hyacine calmed him down. “Yeah… sorry.” He glanced back at Hyacine apologetically.

Hyacine giggled, “It’s alright, now can you tell Lady Hyacine what happened?” She said as she knelt one of her knees down to the ground, facing Phainon eye-to-eye. Much akin to a kindergarten teacher soothing a crying child.

Okay, his mind is in a clearer state than before. How can he convince Lady Hyacine without revealing he drank some kind of cheating potion, resulting in him having a healthier body than before and somehow knocking out a buff dude in the process by accident? It sounds ridiculous in hindsight, so he really has to think this through.

Phainon was silent for a while before he opened his mouth, “The… coach tried to hit me.” He explained. Hyacine nodded, urging him to continue. “I only… tried to dodge his attacks.”

“I see.” Hyacine nodded once more, to which Phainon continued. “After dodging, he tripped down himself…”

Now… cue his ace card! The teary-eyed-act-that-is-totally-not-manipulation he has done a few times prior to weaken his opponent’s resolve! First step, lowering your face so as not to meet the person’s eyes, feigning innocence. Or to be more direct, the guilt-tripping phase. Phainon meticulously lowered his gaze, forcing his eyes to squirm like he was about to combust.

Instead of Hyacine, it was Castorice’s attention that he had unintentionally caught. “Ah…! I was passing by and…” She spoke as she ran toward the two of them. “I saw the coach hitting him very hard… so I called for you, Lady Hyacine…”

… That was certainly unexpected. But hey, at least it sort of worked?

Second step, cry.

“Castorice…” Phainon cried dramatically, shedding as many tears as he could as an added bonus effect. Castorice, upon witnessing Phainon’s tearful act, flailed her hands around, unsure of what to do. “Ah…! Please don’t…cry!”

Third step, profit!

Hyacine observed the two of them and chuckled softly, “Little Cas, why don’t you accompany him today? Lady Hyacine will handle this situation!” She patted the two kids' shoulders while slowly pushing them away to the gates. “I trust Little Cas and you would have a good time together!”

Castorice was still flapping around her arms while Phainon only willingly let himself be pushed. A job well done, he thinks! Besides, hanging out with Castorice for a day was way better than whatever that torture chamber was.

Before Hyacine was about to return to the situation at hand, “Wait!” He shouted. His eyes were still a bit puffy from his act before, but that doesn’t matter. “My name is… Phainon!” She had taken care of him for so long, yet he had never once introduced himself. He really has to repay her somehow one day if given the chance.

Hyacine froze as she tilted her head backwards, taken aback by Phainon’s sudden declaration. She didn’t seem to look shocked however, she just smiled warmly. “Okay, Little Phai!” before returning to the scene.

Castorice was still in a daze before Phainon flung his hands toward Castorice, hugging her. “Thank you so much, Cas!” he said, “Ah, is it okay for me to call you Cas?” he quickly added, not wanting to sound rude.

Castorice didn’t respond, didn’t move an inch, and didn’t react to his question, completely staying still, petrified, not even returning Phainon’s hug. It’s like her brain had completely malfunctioned, needing a quick reboot. “Hello, Cas—to…rice?” Phainon released his embrace, staring guilelessly at an unresponsive Castorice.

It took Castorice exactly five seconds before she frantically shook her head and flapped her arms around wildly. “I—ah? I uh uhm, you touched m—I mean, sorry? Thank you?” she stammered rapidly. Phainon almost couldn’t catch on to what she had just said before placing his hands on her shoulders, “Woah, relax! It’s just a hug!”

Castorice shook away from Phainon’s touch, “N-no, you can’t touch me!” she shrieked, painfully appalled. “I-I’m cursed, I bring b-bad luck to whoever t-touches me!” She revealed, her words stuttered all around the places.

…?

Cursed? If anything, Castorice saved his poor soul here! Shouldn’t she be the opposite of cursed? Is this also why she poked Phainon using a stick instead of her hands last night?

“... Cursed?” Phainon blinked, questioning Castorice’s sudden revelation. “No way, I’ve hugged you and nothing bad happened!” Phainon said as he spun around in a twirl, showing Castorice nothing exactly bad had happened to him. “See? I’m fi—”

A spear was suddenly thrown beside him, almost piercing his face.

“...” Phainon can feel his cold sweat slowly rolling down his face. What the hell was that? Poor timing, poor timing! Castorice, please don’t misundersta—

“Ah?! Why are you two still here?” Hyacine shouted all the way from the arena? Training grounds? Whatever that place was.

Castorice only widened her eyes even more. Horror-stricken even. “S-sorry, Lady Hyacine, I—we’ll leave immediately!” She frenetically grabbed Phainon’s robe, careful not to make skin contact with him, and dragged him away from this hellish place.

Castorice runs fast, and he means fast. Phainon could practically feel the fury of the current wafting from her run, his hair was most likely a typhoon of a mess with how fast she was lugging him. Even as a child, Castorice sure has fast legs.

“Wait, Cas—slow down, I—” Castorice didn’t listen, she kept dashing, dashing to wherever she was dragging him to.

Of course, nearby passersby were watching. Likewise, all of them just stared at them weirdly. At this rate, Phainon feels as if his self-image might’ve already been torn apart with how many ridiculous situations he’s somehow gotten himself into.

“Casto…rice—I don’t think it’s your fault!” Phainon yelped, trying to keep up with her pace. It was a relief that Mem gave him whatever that drink was, or else with his past stamina, he might as well faint while being dragged away by Castorice to who knows where.

Castorice finally stopped in her tracks, softly panting. Phainon also stopped, panting heavily. “I—Aeons, you sure are a fast runner… haha…” Phainon joked as he tried to catch his breath, hoping to lighten up Castorice’s mood.

Castorice had dragged them back to the royal garden, where there were children all running around the flowerbeds, playing new rounds of the game of tag, while their parents chattered idly like before, more gossip running wild.

“... Sorry.” Castorice mumbled meekly, “It’s… my fault in the first place that you were almost…” She paused, horrified by the next word she was about to say. Ah, his joke didn’t work, unfortunately.

Phainon steadily placed his hand onto Castorice’s shoulders once more. This time, his grasp was firmer to prevent Castorice from breaking away from his contact. “Casto… rice,” Phainon spoke resolutely, “you are not cursed.”

Castorice was still trying to find a way to break free from Phainon’s grasp, but to no avail, “I—you almost got pierced by that spear because of m—”

“It wasn’t you!” Phainon quickly interrupted Castorice’s pessimistic sentence. “Someone probably threw the spear in the wrong direction!” Phainon quickly reassured her.

“B-but—” Phainon patted Castorice’s shoulders. Castorice flinched from the sudden action. “No buts! I said what I said!” He maintained, still not releasing his hands from Castorice any time soon.

The two of them stared at each other for a solid ten seconds before Phainon continued, “See? Nothing happened this time! It was just a coinci…dence!” he said cheerfully.

It was at that moment, Castorice’s eyes widened, not from horror this time, but from surprise. “I…” Castorice wavered, before a few droplets of tears came out from her lilac eyes.

…?! Wait a moment! Phainon didn’t mean to make Castorice cry! He swears! Phainon should be the only one crying here today! Oh Aeons, how does one even comfort a child? He wasn’t an expert in this!

Cyrene… what does she usually do…

Without thinking much, Phainon hugged the sobbing Castorice. His hold was gentle, mimicking how Cyrene would when he was young. He slowly rubbed small circles behind her as she quietly sobbed. “It’s okay, it’s okay…” Phainon softly repeated.

The waves of laughter of the children from the royal garden soon became background noise to the two of them as they embraced. Castorice soon lightly tugged away from Phainon’s hold, daintily rubbing her swollen eyes. “S-sorry…” she hiccuped, “And… thank you.” Phainon didn’t reply, he just smiled gradually as Castorice slowly sobered herself.

Aside from her fretfulness, Castorice genuinely seemed like a nice girl. She could be another useful ally for him in the future! He just needs to attempt to befriend her while he has the chance!

Operation Befriending Castorice, begins!

Phainon plopped himself down on the grass, sitting crisscrossed. He lightly patted the patch of grass next to him with a bright smile, inviting Castorice to sit with him. Castorice hesitated at first before allowing herself to sit beside him. The silence between them wasn’t unpleasant like before, it was delightful.

“I always liked the royal garden,” Castorice suddenly spoke, breaking the silence. “Seeing the children all play around and laugh together, it was… oddly comforting to me.”

Lady Hyacine also said something similar before, and looking back at it now, he finds himself agreeing as well. In the royal garden, where the flowers all bloomed flourishly, everyone relished in the tranquility that this place offered. Free from worries, free from hardships, and free from the harsh reality, even if it’s only temporarily.

“I… feel the same as well,” Phainon answered as he watched the children fool around. There was a momentary silence before Castorice asked something interesting, “Also… what’s an… A—yeons?” Castorice questioned, unfamiliar with the word that Phainon spoke of from before.

Phainon tilted his head toward Castorice, “The people from above?” he spoke as he pointed his finger to the sky like it was the most natural thing that one should know. Castorice only looked even more confused, “The people from above…? Don’t we usually call them… Titans?”

… He totally forgot that he’s in the world of a novel. Some things from his world will not correlate well with things in this world. Why can’t he get transported into a novel he personally read before?

… Actually, never mind. He doesn’t want to be transported anywhere in the first place. He just wants to go home.

“Ah, I—” Phainon stammered. He did not think this through at all. Time to play another round of ‘Phainon makes things up’! “We call them Aeons from where I’m from… yeah!” he said, silently praying that Castorice would also buy his lie.

Castorice nodded, “Oh,” she replied. “Back from where I’m from, some of my people also call the Titans something else as well.”

Ah, so she really was also in the same boat as the original Phainon. A sacrifice.

Phainon mentally wiped away all of the sweat that he was unknowingly accumulating. “Where did you come from?” A simple question to hopefully divert the subject to something else entirely.

“Aidonia, The Land of the Snow,” Castorice revealed, “What about you? Ah, you don’t need to tell me if you don’t want to…!” She quickly added as she waved her hands around.

Phainon smiled, “Let me reintroduce myself then!” He said. Castorice had run away from him two times. The first time, he was still contemplating his name. The second time, he didn’t even have a chance before Castorice sped away once again. “I’m Phainon. Phainon of Aedes Elysiae.”

“Ae…des Ely…syae…?” Castorice attempted to pronounce the name. “Aides… Elisae?” Another attempt. “Aedis Elisyae!” She proudly stated… before slumping down onto her two knees in embarrassment.

Finally, he isn’t the only one who can’t pronounce words correctly…! Albeit it was a word that probably didn’t even exist in this world to begin with…!

Phainon chuckled, “It’s okay. I also couldn’t say it on my first try.” It was true, he had a hard time pronouncing the name of where he lived when he was young. The name of the place had weird initials anyway.

“Also, can I call you Cas?” Phainon asked once more. Castorice practically beamed at the question, “Yes!” before returning back to her usual diffidence, “I-I mean, only if you want to!”

The two chatted as the breeze blew through the air, grass flowing beneath them. The laughter of the children and the chitter-chatter of the adults were slowly diminishing as the sky turned a hazy shade of orange, losing track of their time.

“It’s getting late…” Castorice said as she gazed at the sunset orange sky. “We should probably return to our chambers soon.” She stood up from the patch of grass and patted her robes gently.

“Speaking of which, why were you still in the garden so late last night?” Phainon asked as he copied Castorice, removing the strands of wild grass that were sticking to his robes. “It’s a little embarrassing to admit but…” Castorice murmured, “I… always wanted to play with the children in the garden, but because of my… curse, nobody wants to be around me.”

“That’s absurd!” Phainon immediately shouted, “I mean, look at me. We hung out for quite some time today, and I’m still fin—” Then a red ball was thrown across the field, almost hitting Phainon’s head in the process, rendering a surprised “Ah?!” emitted out of his mouth.

“Sorry! Could you pass the ball back to us, please?” The kid yelled from afar. To which Phainon obliged and kicked the ball back to the owner. “Thanks, sorry again!” The kid apologised for the sudden mishap as they went back to play with the ball.

“...” Castorice smiled bittersweetly.

“...” Phainon really doesn’t know what to say anymore. This world was truly against him. What kind of poor timing was that?! The second time now! It was fine when he comforted her, why now of all times?!

“Phainon, I appreciate your company today, I really do. But you don’t need to force yourself for my sake…” Castorice broke the silence, looking awkwardly anywhere but Phainon’s eyes. “No wait, don’t run this time, please!” Phainon hurriedly spoke as he placed his hands on her upper arm, slightly squeezing her.

Castorice's eyes widened as Phainon spoke more, “Cas, you are not cursed. Those were just… happy little accidents!” he addressed. Unfortunately, Castorice had a gaze that screamed she was still unconvinced. “Happy little accidents, huh…” she chuckled ruefully.

“Really! And if anything,” Phainon slowly moved his hands toward hers, clasping them together. “I want to be your friend, really!” He gently squeezed her hands. “Cursed or not, Cas is nice to Phainon, so Phainon wants to be friends with Cas!”

Castorice’s lilac eyes glimmered as she gasped, her body was quavering as well. “I… I—” She was about to cry once more—

—before a sudden familiar voice rang behind them. “Oh, there you guys are!” It was Lady Hyacine, once again! “Did you two have fun while Lady Hyacine was gone?” She strided toward the both of them while smiling.

Before Castorice could speak, Phainon immediately answered her. “Yep, we had fun! Cas was a great friend to Phainon!”

Castorice was too stunned to even speak. Hyacine however, “That’s great! You’ve made a friend, Little Cas, I’m so proud of you!” she spoke giddily.

Castorice opened and closed her mouth, still dazed at what was happening around her, she couldn’t utter a single word. But Phainon can, “Hehe, I look forward to meeting Cas more!” He giggled, still holding onto Castorice’s hand.

Operation Befriending Castorice, a success! Probably?

Castorice stared at the both of them giggling to themselves before joining them shortly. Giving up entirely her intention of convincing Phainon not to befriend her.

Operation Befriending Castorice, a success! Undoubtedly!

It wasn’t long before a loud churning growl could be heard coming from someone’s stomach. Catching everyone around off-guard.

“…” Castorice stared at Phainon.

“…” Phainon glanced back at Castorice.

“…” Hyacine looked at the both of them.

… It was Phainon’s own stomach growling, damn it. He forgot he hadn't even eaten anything to begin with before being dragged away to become a punching bag.

Hyacine laughed softly, “I see that the both of you still hadn’t had anything today, why don’t we all go to the kitchen to grab something for ourselves?” She clapped her hands and gestured to the two kids to follow her.

Before the two followed, Castorice looked behind her surroundings cautiously, eying every corner without letting one gap escape. Phainon noticed she was frantically looking around, seemingly searching for something. Phainon gently tugged her hands. “What are you looking for?” While looking behind him as well. Castorice turned her back toward Phainon and shook her head. “Nothing, it was just—

—I sensed a strong gaze surveying us for quite some time now. But it seems that I was most likely mistaken.”

Chapter Text

Bread.

One of the most common staple foods that has existed for many centuries, tracing back to thousands of years. At its base core, bread is just a mixture of simple ingredients, such as flour, water, and yeast, all baked at high temperatures to form a solid yet fluffy body. It can be found anywhere, ranging from ordinary side markets to high-class shopping centres, you will never fail to see this little floof of a block wherever you go.

And it’s no different in this world either.

Hyacine had brought the both some pieces of bread from the kitchen for them dig in. At first glance, it was just an ordinary bread, nothing out of the sorts, just your typical run-of-the-mill bread. What else can he describe? It’s just bread.

Oh how Phainon was truly wrong about that part.

With one singular bite, Phainon felt like he had travelled to the paradise of loaves. It was as if thunder had struck the core of his soul, awakening him to a higher plane of the flavor heavens. The golden crust was crispy and crackly while the crumbs inside were not too hard but also not too soft either, with delicate air pockets as each bite gives off a light airy texture. It was a perfect balance between both worlds.

The flavour? Oh the flavour, it is one of the most vital parts about bread, you can never forget about that part. Each crumb was like an operatic concerto of the eternal yearnings of the wheat, slowly conceding itself to delicate speckles of flour powder just to steal a mere glimpse at its beloved, the yeast. It all ends well as the surging tides of the water soon crash them both together, never to be separated ever again.

Not to mention the arom—

“Phainon, it was just bread.” Mem deadpanned as it floated beside Phainon through the hallway. Feeling quite annoyed by Phainon’s ongoing-but-stopped-abruptly inner monologue about, of all things, bread.

Phainon, fully dressed in a new pair of white robes after Hyacine had practically stripped him out of his old and dirty ones, dramatically gasped, feeling as if his most trusty personal assistant had personally driven a dagger straight through his heart. “It’s not just any normal bread,” he declared while wagging his index finger, “That bread was the most spectacular bread I’ve ever eaten throughout my years of living, that it even managed to make me shed a tear.”

Phainon wasn’t trying to exaggerate on purpose, no. The bread they had was genuinely so deliciously divine that Phainon thought he was eating some kind of golden bread that only existed in fairytales.

Then again—he was technically in a story. Did this count as a fairytale?

But alas, it was quite a shame he couldn’t ask for seconds. Maybe he should look into who was the one responsible for baking that scrumptious bread instead?

“But did you really have to monologue it all out loud, even waxing some kind of poetry?” Mem sighed, clearly tired from Phainon’s passionate ode about bread. Phainon merely shrugged in response to Mem’s agony. “I never forced you to listen to it, you just did it on your own accord.” Mem sighed even harder, “Not like Mem wants to anyway… we were made with the ability to listen to our users' thoughts whether we want to or not.”

“Besides,” Mem puffed, “if Mem recalls correctly, aren’t you an artist and not a poet?” It floated right in front of Phainon’s face with its two paws crossed. Despite that, Phainon still continued to walk down the hallway. “Now, who said artists can’t be poetic from time to time? The bread unlocked something inside of me, I can’t help myself.”

Mem rolled its eyes, “Poetic, sure,” as it returned back to Phainon’s side.

“Speaking of which, now that there’s no one around… what the heck was that mysterious, unethical, bad-tasting purple drink anyway?” Phainon finally asked. He’d been holding in that question for a while now… along with a dozen others. First of all, this mysterious liquid that he drank, aside from a healthier body, what else did it give him?

Mem flipped its fluffy tail, curling into something similar to the shape of a question mark. “You still haven’t checked your own stats?” Phainon blinked and tilted his head., “Was I supposed to?” he said as he mentally formed the System in the back of his mind. Mem, on the other hand, slapped its own face in disappointment.

[#STATS#]

HP: 100/100

MANA: 10/100

STATUS CONDITION: NONE

POWER-UPS: RESILIENCE

*TIME REMAINING: 2 HOUR(S)*

…

So, in simpler terms, the awful-tasting drink allowed his body to be insusceptible to any suffering, but he can only enjoy this blissful flourishment for a limited time. Seriously? After all that he had gone through to drink that awful thing?

“What, you thought you’d have this well-conditioned body for the entirety of this novel?” Mem snickered before sensing incoming danger and narrowly dodging Phainon’s hands, which looked like he was about to squeeze it to death. “Hey now, Mem’s not at fault for this!” Mem cried out as its tiny pink fluffy body was still flying around, dodging all of Phainon’s increasingly aggressive swipes. It wasn’t long before Phainon successfully captured the pink menace in his two little hands. “Mem only carried out what the higher-ups told Mem, spare Mem, please!” it whined and begged as its tiny body tried to squirm its way out.

“...” Phainon glared at the oh-so-pitiful personal assistant of his before releasing the poor pink bunny free from his grasp as he sighed deeply. “Fine, lashing my anger against you would be unfair, I suppose…”

“Then, what about my weird ability to fumble up words so badly?” Phainon asked his second question. He was by no means illiterate in his past life. He’d survived countless midnight cramming sessions and exam hellscapes. He’d earned clear speech by now! So why was he suddenly fumbling over the simplest words like he’d never spoken at all in his life!

Mem being the most reliable assistant it is, “Try saying the words you ‘fumbled up so badly’ right now,” it instructed Phainon.

Phainon paused for a moment to stare at Mem with a raised brow before opening his mouth, “Lady Hyacine… Hyacinthia… Castorice… huh?” He called out their names. Somehow, he can pronounce their names without any difficulties as of right now, so how come…? No, he had to test it again.

With a big huff, “Nauseous, blasphemy, connoisseur, deteriorate… metamorphosis ha?!” Phainon exclaimed the words all in one go with a shocked demeanor. He just spoke some of the words he had trouble pronouncing since he was a kid with ease! So why was he struggling before…?

Still unconvinced, “I wish to wish the wish you wish to wish, but if you wish the wish the witch wishes, I won't wish the wish you wish to wish, ah?!” Even tongue twisters are doable?!

Mem was holding its mouth, trying to suppress its laughter that was about to come out. “If you don’t want me to turn you into a roasted rabbit meal, you better explain to me what exactly is going on.” Phainon threatened with a smile, a really warm smile, totally not a smile that screamed he could roast the pink rabbit alive, right here, right now.

Mem immediately stiffened, its fluffy pink fur puffing up like a fully-grown dandelion. “Ah, uhm, you see…” it stammered. “To… prevent users from going too far out of character and ruining the perception of the character to the readers that are reading the story… the higher-ups had implemented an ‘OOC protection manual’ and uh… yeah?” Mem chuckled nervously.

Phainon blinked once.

Phainon blinked twice.

Phainon blinked thrice.

Perception… readers… OOC protection… what sort of gibberish nonsense is that?! He understood none of what had been explained to him at all!

“Can you speak human?” Phainon asked, one of his eyebrows visibly twitching. Mem, being the most intelligent assistant it is, sensing Phainon’s annoyance, flailed around its arms in a frantic manner. “Uhm, so basically…!” Mem began. “To preserve your character's er… traits! The system does not allow you to stray too far out of character. So, when you’re actively playing the role of Phainon in the story, your intelligence is adjusted to match the character’s age. But don’t worry! Your personal inner thoughts will still stay completely intact! Outside of the story though, you can do whatever you desire!” It blurted out, adding a nervous smile at the end in hopes of Phainon understanding it.

…

What the hell?

“And it didn’t occur to you to tell me any of this back when I first arrived?” Mem should feel lucky that Phainon is mentally resisting his urge to grab this pink menace and throw it as far as he can. “... Whoops, must’ve slipped from Mem’s mind!” Mem apologetically responded as it slowly drew its gaze to somewhere that was not meeting Phainon’s intense glare.

Phainon rubbed his temple, this was a lot to pack in. “Alright, let me get this straight. What you’re telling me is… I can think up all sorts of complex words in my head, but if my character at this age doesn’t know how to pronounce them, I’ll fumble the words anyway?” Mem clapped its paw, “Yep!”

“And if I try to solve a basic math problem, I can do it mentally… but if the character doesn’t understand math at this age, I’ll still somehow get the answer wrong?” Mem nodded its head eagerly, “Exactly!”

“And if I try to write, no matter how good I actually am, if my character can’t even hold a brush or quill properly, I’ll completely fail?” Mem twirled its fluffy tail, “Mhm!”

“And all of this nonsense only applies when I’m playing as Phainon, the character in the story… whatever that’s supposed to mean?” Mem did a dramatic combo of nodding, clapping, tail-twirling, and added a paw-pointing as a bonus at the end. “You got it!”

…

Lack of a healthy body, lack of intelligence, lack of reverence… what can he even do as Phainon?

“Pray tell, were there any remarkable traits that this Phainon had?” Phainon asked, tilting his head toward Mem. Mem placed a paw thoughtfully over its mouth, eyes squinting in deep concentration. After a moment, it turned back to him with a cheerful smile. “Mem has absolutely no idea!” it quipped.

…

They are now at the doorway to the library. Phainon had originally planned to go to the castle’s library early to maybe give a little surprise to his ‘friend’. But right now, there was a part of him that suddenly wanted to retrace back his steps and return to the kitchen. Not because he misses the bread. Well, partly—but that’s not the main reason.

Phainon turned his head in the opposite direction of Mem, his gaze now fixed on the dust-coated walls of the narrow hallway. “Would rabbit meat be tastier while stir-fried or better to be cooked into stew… or should I go with my previous plans of a roasted rabbit meal?” He seriously pondered out loud, already thinking of the many bunny recipes he could cook up in his head. Cooking skills be damned, he just wanted the rabbit dead.

Though suspiciously, Mem didn’t fire back with one of its usual quips. In fact, Mem was awfully quiet. No high-pitched complaints, no random banters, no “Hey, Mem is only an assistant, not some character guide book! Blah blah blah,” nonsense that it likes to spout out. Hell, he even imagined its voice for it!

“Mem?” Phainon called, turning his head around to look for his pink floating assistant. What greets him however—

—Was a pair of golden amber eyes staring directly at him.

… Remember when Phainon had planned to give his ‘friend’ a little surprise? Well, scratch that! His ‘friend’ was just right behind him, scaring Phainon as his soul most likely came out from his body, probably leaving for the afterlife soon.

“Mem?” Mydei asked, while being oblivious to the fact that he had unintentionally spooked Phainon by appearing just right behind him.

Phainon mentally snatched his fleeing soul and crammed it back into his body hastily. He slapped a trembling hand against the wall for support, definitely not about to collapse or anything, definitely. “A-ah Mydei! You’re here… quite early!” He said, trying to sound cool and composed. It could’ve fooled Mydei if not for the fact that his body was still trembling from the sudden shock. Damn it.

Mydei observed Phainon from up to down, an amused smirk tugging at his lips as he crossed his arms. “Scared so easily? Where did all that pretentious guts of yours go?” He teased.

“Unlike you, I don’t go around behind people’s backs and scare them like that.” Phainon shot back as he slowly steadied himself from his trembling mess.

“And unlike you,” Mydei replied smoothly, eyes narrowing as he gestured toward the library’s door, “I don’t stand around blocking the entrance to the library.” He countered back.

…

Well, if this world truly detests him this much, the least he could do was entertain himself while he was here. After all, there weren’t any rules against a little mischief, is there?

Phainon smiled politely, “Oh, sorry,” he said, stepping aside to let his friend pass. Just as Mydei headed for the door, Phainon subtly shifted his leg just a tiny bit, causing Mydei to stumble and nearly fall to the floor.

Mydei shot Phainon a glare while he stabilized himself, looking like he had just committed a crime against humanity. Phainon only smiled innocently, “What?” He asked, feigning ignorance of his own actions.

“You clearly did that on purpose,” Mydei accused, his tone dripping with offense. But unfortunately for him, “Did I? There’s no proof of it though.” Phainon could not care less, he can be as petty as he wants, and who was there to stop him anywa—

A loud thump came right beside him.

And it wasn’t just any thump.

It was Mydei’s fist that slammed into the wall right next to Phainon’s head. A small hole formed where his knuckles struck. Cracks are slowly starting to form as bits of stone and dust crumble to the floor.

… Okay, maybe Mydei was there to stop him. Lesson learnt, never ever mess with Mydei unless he has a death wish, which he does not. Cyrene is waiting for him back home, he needs to come out of this story alive.

Phainon swallowed hard, cold sweat beginning to bead on his forehead as Mydei’s fist remained firmly planted in the wall, his glare sharp was enough to kill Phainon mentally.

And what would one do if they are currently facing a situation where the other party is clearly angry at oneself?

Simple.

Shamelessly beg for forgiveness, of course!

“I’m so so so sorry Mydei I promise to never do that again can you please let me go I swear I will never pull any tricks like that to you ever again I can even kneel on the floor right now if you want me to so can you please stop glaring at me like that and put your fist away pretty please?” He spoke in one sitting, not even having a chance to breathe in between his words.

Mydei did not utter a single word, nor did he remove his fist away from the wall, opting to glare at Phainon even longer. Mydei’s unfazed golden gilded eyes met with Phainon’s frazzled azure blue eyes. This is making Phainon even more anxious than he already needs to be.

What was he even supposed to do here? Run? Shove Mydei out of the way then run? Pretend someone was coming and use the distraction to—what else? Run!

He still had time before the effects of that foul-tasting drink wore off, right? Surely he could manage a quick escape with a fully functioning body... right?

Phainon was the first one to break off from their intense staring competition, frantically looking around for a way to escape from Mydei’s wrath. Before he could even find one, Mydei let out a sigh and finally pulled his fist away from the battered wall. “You’re lucky that I’m still feeling quite merciful for today.” He muttered, turning toward the library door, “Let that be a lesson for you to never mess with me in the future.”

And with that, Mydei walked off, leaving Phainon standing alone in the narrow hallway, rethinking all of his life choices.

…

Phainon slumped down to the floor, slowly catching his breath as he monumentally forgot how to breathe for a second there. Another new lesson learnt, always keep his intrusive thoughts at bay when around Mydei, as he might be his true demise if he does not.

… Okay but then again, a rather bold thought, what if he can somehow reverse this around and make Mydei be the one fighting for him… wouldn’t that just guarantee his survival in this world until he finishes his quests? Look at Mydei, even as a child, he could pack a powerful punch! What are they even feeding him to reach that level of strength?

With a new totally-not-shamelessly-audacious plan set in his head, Phainon pushed himself to his feet, dusted off his robes, and reached for the doorknob.

Phainon’s supreme ways on how to get closer to your friend and make them your best friend that would fight for you, even though it feels as if he may or may not have skipped a few crucial steps ahead! Second method’s continuation: Actually hanging out like he planned before!

The door creaked as Phainon twisted open the knob and stepped inside. The scent of dusty parchment and sandalwood greeted him like yesterday. Phainon glanced around the dimly lit library as he closed the door from behind, not seeing the familiar gorgeous cantaloupe blonde that had almost ended him a few minutes prior around the entrance.

Phainon slowly searched around one of the towering dust-filled bookshelves, “Mydei?” he called. His voice echoed throughout the silent room. Nobody answered.

“Mydei?” Another call as he went to the other aisle. Still, nobody answered.

The next aisle, “Mydei?” he called once more. Silence.

The next next aisle, “... Mydei?” More silence.

…

Phainon frowned. This place definitely didn’t seem this large before. How come after many aisles of dusty bookshelves, there still wasn’t the blonde in sight? Heck, he didn’t even answer him after he called him out so many times!

It was only when Phainon had painstakingly gone to the last aisle of this place that he had finally found him. “Mydei!” Phainon happily called out. Mydei was holding a book in his left hand while caressing the books on the shelves with his right. He didn’t spare a glance at Phainon even when he had called him out. “Mydei, I’m hurt. Why didn’t you answer my calls?” He clutched his chest dramatically.

Mydei was still focused on the shelves. “Sorry, my ears must’ve fallen asleep, didn’t hear you,” he answered as he grabbed a maroon-colored book from the shelf and casually walked past Phainon.

…

All for the sake of survival, all for the sake of survival, all… for… the… sake… of… survival. Phainon mentally chanted as he pushed away all of his aggravated thoughts aside. “Wait for me!” he shouted before following Mydei around from bookshelf to bookshelf.

Mydei did not say anything, only grabbing more books as he went on. Phainon continued to follow him from behind, “Do you need help with all the books? They look heavy,” he asked while stretching out his arms. Mydei did not answer him, nor did he look at his way. Instead, he—just grabbed more books and moved on his way.

It was already the fifth book, and Mydei doesn’t look like he has any intentions of stopping soon. Just how strong is Mydei? Being able to punch a wall with a small crack forming, as well as carrying five thick books like they were the same weight as a feather… Phainon does not want to imagine what it would be like if Mydei had actually punched him instead of the wall.

“Do you really… not want my help?” Phainon asked once more, watching as Mydei reached for a sixth book. Mydei paused at the persimmon-coloured book for a moment before handing it to Phainon.

Phainon glanced at the book. The title reads: ‘A Guide on Your Canine Friend’s Odd Behaviour!’

“What is this for?” Phainon questionably held the book with his hands. Mydei finally responded after the long silent treatment that he had given to Phainon. “For you.” He said, just two words, better than no answer he supposed.

Phainon, following Mydei while holding the book out afar with a puzzled look donning his face, “I don’t have a dog though?” He questioned as he followed Mydei back to the window seat, the same window seat where Phainon first met him yesterday. Mydei only chuckled as he seated himself comfortably by the window and began reading the books he had taken.

Phainon, a little thrown, sat down on the floor beside him. Curiosity eventually got the better of him as he flipped open the book Mydei had handed him.

‘Have you ever wondered why your best buddy reacted the way you never expected them to be? Or have you ever wondered why your canine friend is barking at the smallest no-brainer problem you’ve ever seen? Well, this book is right up your alley my friend! Here are the many reasons why your dog might be behaving this way, the last one might even shock you out of your chair!’

… What the hell is this book?

Phainon silently thought as his fingers flipped through the pages.

‘Reason #10: The Dog Just Wanted Your Attention! Ah, the many ways a dog can charm you into giving them attention are quite endless! From their whiny pouts to their whimpering barks, not to mention those darn sparkly eyes they can muster out within a span of two seconds. If your dog is showing signs of clinginess and neediness, your dog might be attention-starved! Please always remember to shower your dog with lots of your love and attention before leaving them all dull and lonely!’

…

Another flip.

‘Reason #47: The Dog Is Just Lost Without You! Are there random stray dogs that are following you around without the intention of leaving you alone? That just means that the dog sees you as someone reliable and friendly! The vibes you are giving the dog assure them that they are safe by your side, giving them the much-needed security that they lacked. Do not worry, as the dog most likely won’t bite you, please feel free to let them get closer to you, as tested by the many trustworthy experts regarding this field of expertise!’

…

Phainon slammed the book shut with a loud thud. It was loud enough to even pull Mydei’s attention away from his own reading.

“Mydei,” Phainon smiled warmly, “I’m not a dog,” he affirmatively said as he slowly turned his head toward Mydei. “For someone who claims not to be a dog,” Mydei snickered as he flipped a page in his book, “you sure act like one.”

Phainon’s warm smile did not waver. “I don’t,” he said firmly, double-confirming himself. Mydei closed his book carefully, unlike what Phainon had done with his book. “Do I need to list out all the instances that you were acting like one?”

Phainon immediately raised his fingers up, “I—” he began, ready to argue back the presumptuous claim, only for Mydei to suddenly interrupt him.

“First, the way you ogle your eyes at everyone just to have your way, isn’t that much akin to how a dog would act just to earn their owner’s attention?” First blood!

“Second, aimlessly wandering around, latching onto the first person who’s remotely nice to you. Classic lost puppy behavior.” Hey now, in his defence, he is still new to this whole world—but it also doesn’t mean that Mydei’s words don’t have any merit to them. Double kill!

“Third, immediately cowering and playing the victim card upon doing something that you deemed was ‘wrong’, like a dog who just broke a vase and tries to look cute so it doesn’t get punished.” Triple kill—wait! Hold up! Something doesn’t add up!

“Victim card?” Phainon blinked in confusion, “I don’t think I played the victim card when you tried to end my life there.”

Mydei answered without missing a beat, “The fight between you and your coach, I’ve seen it.”

… Ah?! He was being watched by Mydei the whole time?!

Phainon’s eyes widened in shock. “You were there?!” He shouted in disbelief. Mydei lazily shifted his weight with casual indifference. “Yes, but only for a while.”

“... How much of it did you see?” Phainon asked, tone tinged with wariness. Mydei answered, “Not much, only saw you managing to outsmart the coach.”

Oh. So Mydei did not see him getting mercilessly bullied and laughed at by the children who were watching him. He doesn’t know if this was a good thing or a bad thing, maybe both at the same time. Okay but—

“You just called me smart!” Phainon’s eyes lit up, practically sparkling as he jumped to his feet, already forgetting their last debacle. Mydei had complimented him? This feels surreal after all the mean remarks Mydei had thrown at him!

Mydei, upon seeing Phainon’s reaction, retracted his gaze. “I won’t deny that.” He simply said. But unfortunately for him, Phainon noticed the dusty pink flush on the tip of his ears.

Mydei, you’re so easy to tease. Phainon thought with an inward smirk. Outwardly however, “Mydei thinks I’m smart!” he essentially sang, keeping up with the whimsy-like attitude.

“Fourth, getting all delighted over a single compliment,” Mydei crossed his arms and huffed adequately, “Exactly how a dog would act.”

Never mind! Quadra kill, straight down to the drain!

Phainon’s whimsical attitude immediately falters as Mydei chuckles to himself. “Fifth, droopy eyes the moment they get ridiculed. Do you need me to say more?”

… Penta kill! He’s never beating the dog allegations, isn’t he!

Well…

If you can’t win against the allegations, you might as well embrace them.

“Alright fine, I may act like a dog,” Phainon cupped his own soft cheeks, “but dogs are adorable, right?” He flashed the cheekiest, most shameless smile he could muster. “So, Mydei must think I’m adorable!”

Mydei froze in place, not even moving an inch of a single muscle, thanks to Phainon’s outrageous claim. “Hehe, Mydei thinks I’m adorable!” He repeated, practically glowing with triumph. Truly a glorious victory!

“You have three seconds to run,” were the last words Phainon heard before Mydei actually grabbed the yoke of his robe and yanked him out of the window of the library without any prior warning.

Well, he did warn him, but three seconds isn’t enough for his words to register in his mind alright?!

Phainon’s line of sight now met the gritty surface of the ground, dirt smudging his delicate cheeks. The earthy scent of grass and soil drifted into his nose… well, he is face-planted to the ground, what did he expect?

A soft “Hmph” reached his ears, followed by a loud thunk.

Phainon scrambled to his feet, wiping the dirt off his face, only to find—a closed window. There, Mydei lies comfortably by the side, casually resuming his reading as if nothing had happened.

“Mydei!” Phainon knocked on the window. “Let me in!”

“I gave you three seconds,” Mydei said, not even glancing at him. “But you failed to run. Not my problem.” His voice was muffled, thanks to the barrier between them.

“That wasn’t fair!” Phainon knocked on the window once more. “How’s anyone supposed to run with just a three-second notice?”

“Too bad,” Mydei replied with a hint of sarcasm lacing his tone. “I thought you were smart. Guess I’ll take back my compliment from earlier.”

…

Phainon, abandoning his knocking strategy, now tried to force the windows open. “I was at a complete dis—ad—van—tage!” he protested, tugging with all his might. Unfortunately, the windows refused to pry open, no matter how much strength he put into them. Defeated, he returned to knocking. “Mydei, please,” he whined, “it’s so hot out here…” he bloated.

There was a brief silence before Mydei, probably annoyed at the constant knockings and begging, unlocked the window unprompted, which resulted in Phainon almost knocking on Mydei’s body instead of the window. Thankfully, he did not, or else he might’ve suffered a different fate than his face kissing the ground.

Instead of letting Phainon in as he presumed, Mydei left his book on the window seat and slowly turned his way toward the outside as he slid down. Now standing next to him, “It’s not even that hot,” he said flatly, turning to face Phainon. “You’re just being dramatic.”

…

“You seriously came out here just to prove a point?” Phainon thought out loud. Mydei didn’t bother replying. He simply motioned for Phainon to follow him with a subtle wave before turning and walking off to… who knows where.

Phainon followed obediently behind Mydei, passing through the boundless narrow passages and slipping into hidden nooks and crannies that he never even knew existed in this place. “Where are we going?” he asked as he glanced around the supposed hidden pathway they were currently walking on. Vines are growing over the crumbling walls. Small critters that had inhabited this area all bolted away, hiding from the sudden trespassers that were intruding on their home.

“Here,” Mydei said as he pushed away the overgrown vines in front of him. What greeted Phainon’s sight was—

The evening sunlight shone over the torn banners hung limply from crooked poles, despite being draped over by the sunlight, their colours were all noticeably faded away, like their glory was long gone due to time. Faint scratches and outlines marked the ground, although barely noticeable as the moss and debris covered most of it. The fallen broken racks, dulled swords, bent spears, and a few rusted shields all lay scattered across the moss-covered field.

It was a training ground, an abandoned training ground to be exact.

Phainon’s jaw was agape, surprisingly not from horror, but from pure amazement. Captivated by the subtleties that this place seemed to hold. Oh the many exciting art ideas he could already conjure up for his next piece were brewing in his mind.

“It’s just an old abandoned place,” Mydei said, his voice cutting through Phainon’s vivid imagination. “Why are you gawking like it’s some kind of sacred site?”

“It’s not just any old abandoned place, Mydei.” Phainon spoke with an excited huff, “This place is filled with so many deep memories behind, it just reeks of precious momentos! Down to the brim!” He suddenly paused, glancing at Mydei. “Ah, never mind. You probably wouldn’t get it. Sorry for rambling.”

But to Phainon’s surprise, Mydei didn’t depreciate him, unlike a certain very helpful assistant of his. But rather, he just looked at him with an unreadable expression, one Phainon couldn’t quite decipher behind those gold-lacquered eyes.

They walked across the field, careful to avoid the jagged edges of the broken weapons that were scattered across the ground. Mydei came to a stop at the center, and Phainon followed suit a few steps behind.

“You wanted to know how to run away within three seconds?” Mydei said, glancing over his shoulder, eyes barely meeting Phainon's, “It’s quite simple.”

A sudden strong whiff brushed against Phainon’s neck, strong enough to send a few strands of his hair drifting to the side. Mydei's hand hovered just inches from his throat, never making contact, but seemingly like he could strike him down at any moment. “You aim for their vital points—then run,” he said coolly.

Phainon’s breath hitched. His heart pounded so wildly that it felt like it might burst from his chest and bolt straight away without him. “Wow…! That was… very inform—ative!” His voice cracked, eyes flicked to Mydei’s hand that was still hovering near his neck. “Thank you for your tute…lige Mydei. Could you kindly remove your very graceful hand from my throat, please?”

Mydei smiled smugly, finally withdrew his hand from Phainon’s neck. Just as Phainon thought his life was spared, Mydei’s leg swept upward, stopping just short of his lower abdomen, close enough to make him flinch. “If things go south and you get caught,” Mydei said calmly, “a kick here will buy you time to run.”

Phainon gulped, “I see…!” Sweat was beginning to form as he glanced at the dangerously close distance between Mydei’s leg and his abdomen. “Got it. Thank you, Mydei. Really, I mean it. But just like before, could you maybe—”

Without letting Phainon continue his sentence, Mydei had already lowered his leg away from his lower abdomen. Phainon was just about to exhale in relief when suddenly, Mydei somehow kicked a bent spear off the ground within seconds and leveled it at his forehead. “Always take advantage of your surroundings. Whether it’s a weapon or a book, anything can become a weapon if you think hard enough.”

…

What kind of life-threatening simulator has he caught himself in this time…

Phainon didn’t even have to open his mouth before Mydei casually tossed the bent spear over his shoulder, leaving it to rot as it did before. “Understood?” Mydei asked, sounding like a teacher asking if their student understood the subject they were teaching in class. Phainon played along with an exaggerated nod and a thumbs-up. “Yes, Sir Mydei!”

“Good,” Mydei said, spreading his arms wide, appearing unarmed. “Now, show me everything I’ve taught you—on me.”

… What?

“What?” Phainon blurted out, his sentence aligned perfectly with his thoughts. “You want me to hit you?” he asked, doubtful even. “I’m giving you full permission,” Mydei replied with a shrug. “It’s not every day you get the chance to fight me, after all.”

Phainon took a deep breath, “Alright then, if you say so…” mentally prepping himself before he used all of his force and tried to strike Mydei’s neck like he had originally taught him. Mydei smirked, seemingly already knowing his attacks, “I didn’t say I won’t be defending myself though,”  immediately blocked Phainon’s hand with his and pushed Phainon away with his might.

Phainon skidded across the dusty ground, and a cloud of smoke came out from his shoes. “Oh, so that’s how we’re playing it?” he called out, matching Mydei’s smirk with one of his own. “Well then, unfortunately for you—!” He shouted, charging straight at Mydei for another strike, “I’m one very stubborn dog!”

Mydei let out a hearty laugh as he effortlessly blocked Phainon’s striking hand again. “Fully embracing your new title?” he said, pushing Phainon back with a sharp breath. “How amusing!”

Fortunately, Phainon landed on both his feet, careful not to step over the sharp edges of the weapons that were scattered around the ground. “Oh, but—” He called out, grabbing a broken dulled sword from nearby. With a sudden burst of energy, he lunged toward Mydei, aiming a strike at his torso. “I had an excellent instructor who taught me a thing or two about survival lessons!”

Mydei dodged the blade with ease, like he had done it many times before. “I’m flattered!” He replied, snatching a snapped pole from the ground. “But if my dog wants to bite me back, he’ll have to try harder than that!” as he also lunged forward to Phainon in return.

The sword and pole collided with a sharp clang the moment they met. “Hmph, are you stubborn enough to sustain long enough for me to feel tired?” Mydei taunted. Phainon grinned, matching the atmosphere between them. “We’ll see about that!”

Phainon flipped his sword upright and brought it down in a powerful arc, only to be met with Mydei’s pole once more. Phainon swung again, but Mydei kept pace, blocking each strike with ease, almost as if he could read the rhythm.

Another strike, another block.

The exchange between the two became nothing but a fleeting glimpse. Strike, block, strike, block, rinse and repeat—almost as if the two were really on a battlefield with their broken weapons.

As the duel continued, tension built with every clash between steel, blended with many huffs and puffs, like they were doing a synchronised dance. Sweat trickled down both of their faces as neither stopped pacing around. It was all fun and games until a very familiar sci-fi screen popped up right in front of Phainon.

[#STATS#]

HP: 100/100

MANA: 10/100

STATUS CONDITION: NONE

*NOTE: TIME’S UP, USER PHAINON*

Oh.

Oh no.

Oh he totally has forgotten about that.

As his mind registers the sudden information, completely distracted and forgetting about his spar with Mydei, the pole struck him hard, knocking out a pained shout coming out of Phainon’s lungs before he crumpled limply to the ground. Ah, the clean set of robes Lady Hyacine had brought him had already been dirtied, so soon too. The loud noise also startled a few birds nearby, who were resting peacefully before, soaring high through the air.

Mydei froze, startled by the unexpected shout, his hands immediately stilled. “H-hey, are you alright?” he called out, his voice shaky between breaths. He tossed the pole aside and hurried toward Phainon, who was lying flaccidly as he was groaning in pain on the ground.

… Is he alright? Is he alright? You have eyes, Mydei! He’s clearly not alright!

But his body told a different story. “Yep… I’m good,” Phainon muttered shakily as one trembling hand lifted to give a wobbly thumbs-up. He couldn’t exactly tell Mydei that this healthy body of his was only for a limited time now.

Mydei did not buy his response. Instead, he quickly grabbed Phainon by his arms, “C-can you still walk?” he asked, his breath still shaky. “Just… lean on me for a bit.” He hoisted Phainon up to his back, supporting his weight as he began carefully carrying him out of the training ground.

The glorious sun dipped below the horizon, making way for the rise of the majestic moon, poised to take its place as the night’s silent guardian. The moonlight cast an ethereal glow imperially over the two children as they navigated their way through the nooks and crannies of this hidden pathway… well, one of them being carried by the other, that is.

The trek was painfully slow, but Phainon paid no mind to it as he was literally being carried on the back by someone, his body probably couldn’t handle walking much more after that sudden blow. But what Phainon did mind however… was how awkwardly quiet this entire trek is. It’s making him feel a bit embarrassed… being carried by a child who’s probably the same age as him… ah original Phainon, why couldn’t you be born in a healthier body…

“Sorry…” Phainon muttered, biting his lip as he finally broke the silence, pushing away all his humiliation aside. Mydei clicked his tongue, “What are you even sorry for?” he retorted, “It’s not your fault.”

“Well…” Phainon sighed, “I wasn’t paying attention… and now you’re stuck carrying me all the way back.” He coughed lightly. “Just… burdening you, that’s all.”

Mydei kept walking, passing through the hidden passages. “Victims don’t get to decide what’s a burden or not,” he replied flatly.

Soon, the both finally reached back to the windows of the library. With one hand, Mydei pulled it open, then carefully led Phainon inside, making sure he slid in safely before hopping in after him.

However, before Phainon could even do anything, Mydei firmly pressed both hands on his shoulders and pushed him down to sit on the floor. “What was that for?” Phainon yelped, startled by the sudden push. Mydei’s gaze at him was stern. “Stay put until I get back,” he warned, then turned and headed for the front door, shutting it behind him as he left.

…

“Hah… Mydei, did you really have to say it like I’m actually a dog or something…” Phainon muttered, face-palming with a sigh of defeat.

“That was so oddly cute of you two!” Two pink fluffy ears perked up from behind him.

…

Without hesitation, Phainon smacked the intruder on the head with a persimmon-colored book, with no remorse whatsoever. “Whoops,” he said while sticking out his tongue. “I thought you were a fly.”

“This is Mem abuse, this is Mem abuse!” Mem wailed out as it rubbed its head in pain.

“You deserved it,” Phainon replied coolly, flipping open the very same book he’d used to hit Mem, pretending to read. “Maybe the crown prince was right about giving you this book…” Mem huffed out in annoyance, “You truly act like a dog sometimes!”

“No, I don’t—” Wait.

Pause.

No no no, hold on.

Rewind back for a moment.

“What did you just say?” Phainon’s eyes widened, “The… crown prince?”

“Yeah?” Mem replied, tilting its head innocently. “Mydeimos, the crown prince from ‘The Crown Prince Throned in Blood’!” it announced like it was no big deal at all.

…

This new revelation… actually answered so many questions he had regarding Mydei. From his dignified way of speaking, the distinct clothing that set him apart from everyone else, and the way he always seemed to know far more than any ordinary child—it all finally clicked in his head now.

…

Mydei is the same crown prince who went insane and massacred everyone on sight, from Cyrene’s words.

…

He had forcefully tried to befriend Mydei. He had shamefully attempted to force the same crown prince who would end up insane in the future to be his friend and boldly thought of using him as a shield for his wishful thinking.

…

He had gotten a bit petty and tried to pull a stunt on Mydei. He had gotten petty and tried to knock over the same crown prince who suddenly went ‘out of character’, like what Cyrene mentioned to him before.

…

He had tried to strike Mydei with a sword. He had dared to harm the same crown prince who could hypothetically be his future demise.

…

Mydei had personally carried him back to the library. The same crown prince who is said to have massacred everyone he sees had personally carried him all the way back here.

…

Oh Aeons from above, may one of you please hear his silent plea and deliver him the gift of eternal slumber that is not from the crown prince, preferably a peaceful slumber, please.

…

Phainon’s supreme ways on how to get closer to your friend and make them your best friend that would fight for you, even though it feels as if he may or may not have skipped a few crucial steps ahead! Second method’s continuati—what continuation? Immediately cease this stupid plan at once!

“You seriously didn’t know that...?” Mem waved a paw in front of Phainon’s face, who had his life flash before his eyes.

“No,” Phainon answered simply, “No, I don’t.” He repeated the words in a daze.

“What?!” Mem screeched in disbelief, “Even after you both look so buddy-buddy with each other?!”

“He never told me?!” Phainon shouted in distress, “And you also never told me either?!” Very distressed actually. How had he not pieced this together sooner?! Aeons, this was way worse than being kicked in the guts three times by the coach!

“I thought you knew!” Mem defended itself. “I don’t, not even the faintest idea!” Phainon objected back.

There was a click on the door.

If the crown prince had secretly developed a hidden grudge against him, which he might have thanks to Phainon acting like an absolute idiot around him, he may as well bid his hopes of returning back home peacefully goodbye.

There was a sudden glitter popping off in the background.

Or even worse, if someone ever witnessed him accidentally hurting the crown prince, even just a scratch, he could be executed on the spot for assaulting a member of the royal family. Execution by guillotine sounds awful, he really did not want to be beheaded like that, no way!

“... Why are you waving your arms up and down like that?” Came a calm yet sharp voice beside him.

And there he was—the very subject of all his pessimistic thoughts finally arrived, kneeling casually right beside him. The crown prince, kneeling before him.

Phainon could hear his brain slowly cracking in the distance. He’s so doomed, isn’t he?

“M-Mydei!” Phainon squeaked out, “... Why are you kneeling?” He asked, flustered, praying Mydei did not see the amount of sweat his head was slowly forming. Unfortunately for him, “You’re sweating,” Mydei did.

Phainon frantically wiped away all of the sweat from his face, “It’s nothing, just really hot in here, ha… ha!” He said, though his laugh was a bit strained. Mydei sighed before standing up to open the closed window, allowing the cool breeze to drift into the library. He then returned to the spot beside Phainon, kneeling once more as he carefully unwrapped the cloth in his hands.

Inside, there was a small box of crushed ice, some sort of herbal plant that Phainon had never seen before, a loose string, and a bottle of ointment.

Mydei emptied the box of crushed ice onto the cloth, then used his hands to mix in the herbs and ointment, mixing them together before wrapping them all into a tight bundle with the string. “Raise your hands up,” he instructed Phainon. Phainon complied instantly, lifting his arms without a moment of hesitation. He needed to get on Mydei’s good graces as soon as possible to prevent his death flag from happening now!

Mydei said nothing. Instead, he silently tugged down the front of Phainon's robes just enough to place the bundled cloth against his skin, positioning it carefully over a red-purple bruise Phainon hadn’t even noticed was there. “Hold it until it recovers.” Mydei said, letting go and stepping back.

Oh. So Mydei was just giving him a makeshift ice pack, how nice of him!

…

The crown prince had to tend to his wounds thanks to how utterly useless he is.

“A-ah Mydei?” Phainon stammered, his face flushed between the hues of pink and red. “Y-you really didn’t have to do that!” He had unknowingly clutched the bundled cloth tucked inside his robes tightly. The iciness of the crushed ice, combined with the ingredients that were mixed in, sent a weird tingling sensation through his body. Ah, it must be the injury slowly healing, the bruise is no longer that visible to him anymore.

“An injured soldier must always be attended to no matter how small the injury is,” was all Mydei said before returning to the window seat and quietly picking up his book once more to resume reading.

The cold wind swept through the open window, brushing through Mydei’s captivating golden locks as a few pages of his book and strands of hair fluttered around disorderly. His face was adorned by the exquisite gleams of silver rays from the night guardian itself. Yet Mydei remained unfazed, reading on as if the wind and light were nothing more than trivial distractions.

…

Lady Hyacine’s fantastical bubble show, the scrumptious divinely made bread, the memory-filled abandoned training grounds—none of it seemed quite as dazzling to Phainon anymore. Not after he laid eyes on the breathtaking masterpiece before him. He had already forgotten whatever it was he’d been dreading just moments ago, the sight bestowed in front of him was… empyreal.

Ah, if only he had his blank canvas, his acrylics, and his trusty brushes at hand. How he longed to capture this scene that was enchanting him. To preserve it forever in paint and memory.

The two bathed in comfortable silence under the night guardian’s radiant glimmer shining lustorously. Each was lost in their own world, yet not truly connecting with the other. One was full of mulling, while the other was full of mesmerization.

Chapter Text

Phainon is now sleeping peacefully in his chilly dungeon-bedroom, lying listlessly in his makeshift wooden board-turned-bed, wrapped snugly in a soft blanket, snoring quietly as he dreamt of sheep jumping through multiple fences.

… Except he isn’t. That was nothing but what Phainon had initially hoped to do. So he in fact, was not sleeping peacefully in his chilly dungeon-bedroom, nor lying listlessly in his makeshift wooden board-turned-bed, nor wrapped snugly in a soft blanket, and was definitely not snoring quietly as he dreamt of sheep jumping through multiple fences.

So what did he do?

He was repeatedly smacking his face into his pillow, right there in the ‘comforts’ of his dungeon-bedroom. Over and over… and over again.

And why was he subjecting his poor face and pillow to this kind of torture? Oh, no big reason, definitely not because he’d had the absolute audacity to gawk at the crown prince. You know, who was the same crown prince who could end his life immediately right there and hand him a game over screen, except the game over screen is non-existent as he might as well be greeted with either the gates of heaven or hell, yeah definitely not.

Though it was a miracle the crown prince did not catch him staring… probably… hopefully… not.

Okay but in his defence, the crown prince was very pretty! Like, unfairly pretty! That person was basically the embodiment of beauty himself! If anyone were to stand in his shoes, they would also stare at him with awe, right?

… But then again, this also does not justify the fact that he ogling someone who could very realistically become his killer… murderer… executioner… whatever words that fit his situation the best…!

Mem just watched Phainon spiraling back and forth between his head and his pillow like a deranged dunking bird from the side, “You know,” Mem yawned mid-sentence, “if you don’t get some rest soon, who knows what kind of mess you’ll find yourself in by morning.”

“Amp who shuld I thanp for drabbing me intop this seechuasion in thep first placep?” (And who should I thank for dragging me into this situation in the first place?) Came Phainon’s muffled retort as he continued to smack his face to the pillow, too occupied even to face his most trusty reliable assistant.

Mem, ignoring Phainon’s very heartfelt appreciation, gave his back a few pitying pats. “It wasn’t that bad!” It offered soothingly. “If anything, Mem thinks the crown prince might’ve enjoyed the attention!”

Phainon finally stopped his continuous face-pillow smacking session, “Thab,” (That) he mumbled as he slowly tilted his face away from the pillow, “does not sound even remotely any better.” He continued, expressionless.

Mem facetiously hit Phainon’s back, which resulted in an unwarranted yelp coming from his mouth, “Not in a bad way, you knucklehead!” Mem sourly huffed, then its tone swiftly switched into a buoyant one, “Who knows, maybe the crown prince might spare you in the future because of your close bond?”

Phainon let out a tired laugh. “Is that so?” He mused. “Then, if I continue to befriend the crown prince, would it guarantee my safety in this world until I return back home?” he jokingly asked.

“Hmm, it might!” Mem said with an innocent smile. “But you still have to make progress on your quests while doing it!”

With a groan, Phainon dropped his head back into the pillow. “Haaaph, ifp only myp oh-sop-relaiablep-trusby assibant wulb teeshp mep howp I shup evenp progreesh theese apsord queps in thep feersp placep!” (Haaah, if only my oh-so-reliable-trusty assistant would teach me how I should even progress these absurd quests in the first place!)

Phainon wasn’t seriously expecting an answer from Mem to be quite frank, however…

But then Mem grinned. “Heh, did you really need my help when you’ve already made some progress yourself?”

…

Phainon lifted his head just enough to glare at Mem. “... That’s very helpful, really, totally,” and groaned once more as his face slumped back into the familiar cotton-filled object.

Mem let out an indignant squeak before delivering a firm slap to Phainon’s back, which to nobody’s surprise, earned another yelp coming from Phainon’s mouth, except this time it was muffled. “Mem is not joking!” It huffed out, “Check your own progression before you decide to skewer Mem even further!”

Phainon furiously sat up from his wooden ‘bed’, “That was uncalled for!” he said as he narrowed his eyes toward the pink glittery menace. Mem simply stuck out its tongue and gave an unapologetic shrug. “Mem thinks you deserved it.”

“Then I also think you deserved to be turned into rabbit skewers.” Phainon scoffed before mentally summoning the System.

[#MAIN QUEST#]

QUEST: DEFEAT 10 OPPONENTS

TIME LIMIT: [REDACTED]

REWARD: 2 COINS

PROGRESS: [-9/10] INCOMPLETE

Oh?

The number decreased…! Or increased in this case…? But that's quite a surprise. An unexpected one yes, but certainly not an unwelcome one!

… Though the redacted time limit and negative number immediately turned Phainon’s mood sour. Like come on system, it’s already been a day, do you really need to be this petty?

… Wait no, how or when did he even manage to defeat someone today? Wasn’t it a complete reverse where he got beaten into a pitiful pulp instead?

Mem coughed lightly in the background, “Ahem, your ‘trainer’? Remember?”

…

“That counts as defeating an opponent?!” Phainon gasped, torn between a mixture of excitement and bafflement. “Wait—so outsmarting someone counts?!”

Mem snickered, flicking one of its own fuzzy cheeks with faux elegance. “If it registers as a win in the System’s code, then yes. A win’s a win.”

“Then either one of you should’ve told me earlier instead of messing with me…” Phainon sighed, all of his past mental breakdowns regarding this ridiculous quest were all for naught.

But that’s quite alright! You see, with this newfound information, he could begin one of his most favourite-more-like-obligatory-if-he-wants-to-survive activity!

Planning!

… And maybe a side of praying it does not go south like most of his other plans had!

Phainon pondered long and hard, even acting out the classic thinking pose, chin in his hand, elbow on his knee, eyes squinting dramatically like he was trying to solve some intense mathematical question in his head and all that. How could he possibly outsmart someone and have it count as a win in the system’s code?

But it wasn’t long until he had an idea. A brilliant idea… in his head, of course.

“Mem,” Phainon called out his trusty assistant firmly, “I want you to wake me up before sunrise,” he requested. Mem tilted its head in confusion, “Mem can do that, but why?”

Phainon’s eyes began to glint as his lips formed a sly smirk, “If it goes all according to my predictions, the same two guards will most likely come and haul my tiny body early in the morning like today.” Mem nodded, “That’s plausible, so you want Mem to wake you up before the two guards do?”

“Yes!” Phainon nodded enthusiastically, but Mem still didn’t quite understand. “How does that correlate to your mission?” it asked, floating closer and plopping down beside him on the wooden ‘bed’, intrigued by Phainon’s new plan.

Phainon’s smirk began to grow even wider. “If the crown prince had taught me anything today in our makeshift ‘training session’, catching your opponents off guard is one of the best ways to gain the upper hand,” he began, “so if I were able to catch them off-guard and somehow avoid their sudden kidnapping attempt, wouldn’t that basically count as a win in the system’s code?”

Mem's mouth formed a perfect ‘O’ as its eyes sparkled in realization, “Oh! Just like the many times you almost died in the crown prince’s hands today and lost to him because of your negligence!”

Those, unfortunately, were Mem’s last coherent words of the night before a pillow flew right at its face, smacking it hard.

Mem brooded Phainon with a lot of huffs and puffs before disappearing into thin air as Phainon only replied with a “You definitely deserved that,” he muttered as he flopped back onto the bed, finally drifting off to sleep.

… At least it was what he wanted to do. But unfortunately, he cannot, yet again.

And because of that, for some inexplicable reason, his mind thought it would be a great idea to wander back and walk through the events of whatever had happened today as he dreaded for tomorrow. Even with a plan set in his mind, he can’t help but feel like it will somehow end up in a way that he had never expected anyway.

Like can anyone really blame him? It was only his second day here, and already he’d racked up an impressive list of ‘disasters’. First, he had been basically forced out of his ‘bedroom’ and was bullied mercilessly by a totally ‘mature’ adult who might as well have unresolved anger issues. Then came the sudden information bomb regarding about the bizarre limitations of what he can and cannot do as Phainon.

But nothing even came close to the revelation that Mydei, the person he annoyingly bothered the most of, is the crown prince of this story. The very same crown prince who went feral in the future and slaughtered everyone. The very same crown prince that most likely may have been the reason why the original Phainon only had three pages worth of screentime and then died like any other useless cannon fodder’s fate. The very same crown prince who is fated to become this world’s finality.

So really, who in the world could predict what will happen to him tomorrow?!

But still…

“Mydeimos huh…” Phainon mumbled to himself as his eyes were fixed on the cold hard ceiling above him.

Pushing aside all the constant and looming thoughts of his own future demise, Phainon found himself thinking about Mydei—not as a crown prince, not as a future threat to his life, but as a character, or to be more precise, as a person.

In many ways, Mydei’s fate is quite… tragic. From the very moment of his birth, either from his own mother or by the author’s hands, Mydei was bound to be doomed by the story’s narrative. Doomed to become the misunderstood crown prince. Doomed to be banished by his own blood-related father and suffer in isolation in the… what was that place Cyrene had mentioned again? He couldn’t remember. But that doesn’t really matter, being forced to suffer alone in a strange and unfamiliar place was already more than enough to count as doomed. And lastly, in the end, doomed to slaughter the very people he both loved and loathed.

Phainon only knew Mydei for two days at best but even that brief time was enough to tell him that—Mydei didn’t deserve any of it. The Mydei he met wasn’t some kind of unhinged tyrannical crown prince. He was kind in his own way. Heck, he even taught Phainon, someone whom he had just met for two days, some useful survival skills! Not to mention, he had carried him when he was injured, even tended to his wound, despite how awkward and embarrassing it must’ve been for someone of his status.

… Well, to be fair, the unhinged version of Mydei doesn’t actually show up until near the end of the story, where according to Cyrene, suddenly snaps and goes ballistic for no apparent reason. But his point still stands!

The Mydei he met, talked to, and bantered with? Phainon truly believes he isn’t that kind of person!

Maybe Cyrene was right. The author of this novel really should have their writing privileges revoked.

“Such a shame,” Phainon murmured to himself, voice soft and soon slowly turning into a whisper, “someone that alluring, doomed to a fate like that…”

“Maybe instead of being wary of you,” his eyelids are beginning to feel heavy, “I’ll be your friend who defends you from any harm that you may come across…?” Those were the last words Phainon whispered before finally surrendering to sleep, his mind finally exhausted from too much thinking.

Outside, the world remained quiet. Peaceful ambience as everyone had succumbed to dormancy with only the lone night guardian shining its silver rays of light, watching over restlessly as it guided the few sleepless through the night.

But somewhere deep within the castle, muffled clashes, sharp knocks and loud yellings between two people echoed through the castle walls, it was loud enough to even reach Phainon’s much secluded dungeon-bedroom. But Phainon, too buried into his sleep and exhaustion, couldn’t bring himself to care, even if one of the loud voices was somehow very familiar to him. Ah, whatever was happening beyond the walls would have to wait. He was far too tired to deal with it right now.

Chapter Text

『 Far away in a distant land,

There stood a humble little hut.

It was no luxurious hut,

Quite the opposite.

Old, worn, shabby,

Weathered away by time.

Yet within its crooked walls,

It was also the most lively hut of them all.

There lived many children,

Tall ones, small ones, loud and quiet.

Among them were a handful of kindhearted dames,

Whose sole purpose was to care for the children.

No matter how mischievous or unruly,

All were treated equally with care.

They all lived together in joyful harmony,

All but one.

One child was different,

They didn’t quite fit in with the others,

Nor did they seek the company of the dames.

They preferred to be by themselves,

Solitude was their comfort.

Often, they could be found sitting by the window,

Eyes lost in the far distance,

Watching the golden fields far beyond,

Waving their spikes like an ocean ripple.

The child longed for the world outside,

Always dreamed of what lies at the end of those endless fields.

But the others didn’t understand,

“It’s just more wheat!” One laughed,

“The outside is more dull compared to the hut!” Another scoffed.

As for the kindhearted dames,

They all looked at the child with concern,

“It’s dangerous out in the world.” Warned the cautious,

“You are far too young to wander alone.” Said the benevolent.

To the child,

All of their wasted breaths were nothing but derision.

They felt misunderstood,

No one saw what they saw,

No one thought as they did,

No one truly understood.

So, they stayed by the window,

Watching the wind dance through the golden fields,

Dreaming, and always dreaming,

One day becoming like the wind itself,

Free to go wherever it pleased,

With not a single care in the world. 』

Phainon felt a sudden jolt on his shoulder. “Phainon, wake up!” The familiar voice spoke.

“Mmm… sis… just five—no, ten more minutes…” Phainon mumbled groggily while rolling over to the other side.

“Phainon, wake up! Your plan, remember?” The voice insisted, as they shook his shoulder once more, this time with more force.

“Three minutes…” Phainon muttered, tugging the blanket over his head, clearly not appreciating the force that was trying to shake him awake.

Then, the voice stopped. Finally, he could sleep in peace—

—Said peace was unfortunately short-lived as his back was soon met with a hard sting, like he was a football getting kicked ferociously by the player.

A loud yelp came out of Phainon’s mouth, “Ouch—wait! I’m awake, I’m awake!” Phainon shouted, lurching upright as he nearly had his face and body smacked into the cold wall. The blanket ended up in a crumpled mess at the foot of the wooden ‘bed.’

The perpetrator laughed hysterically at Phainon’s suffering from behind, “Who could’ve known that Mem would one day kick its user awake!” It was none other than Mem who was the one responsible for waking him up. “See how reliable Mem is? Mem kept its promise to wake Phainon up before sunrise even after they abused Mem whenever they could!” Mem huffed indignantly.

Phainon, on the other hand, let out a long lazy yawn. “You could’ve just… I don’t know… shake me even harder and not kick me?” He spoke as he rubbed his poor aching back. “This wooden board is already miserable enough to sleep on…”

Mem crossed its paws with a huff. “If Mem tried that, you’d probably just swat Mem away like a bug.”

… Honestly? That did sound exactly like something Phainon would do funnily enough. He couldn’t even argue about that, but oh well.

“See? Even you agreed with Mem!” Mem puffed up with pride.

Phainon rolled his eyes, too tired to even fight back. “Not exactly a victory worth celebrating…” he muttered, stifling another yawn.

Despite being capable of conjuring coherent sentences, his mind was still in a bit of a haze. All he could recall was that he was staring out a window, watching some kind of wheat field swaying back and forth as the breeze blew by.

… Wait, what window? And what wheat field? Wasn’t he sleeping in his wooden ‘bed’ just a few moments ago before being forced awake?

“What are you thinking about?” Mem asked, floating beside the groggy Phainon. Phainon slowly shook his head. “Mmm, nothing. I think I dreamt about… me watching a giant wheat field of some sort by the window,” he murmured as his eyes blinked sluggishly.

Mem covered its mouth with its tiny paws. “Did your passionate ode about bread get you so bad that you even start dreaming about wheat of all things?” it teased. Phainon turned to squint at the pink gremlin. “No way, right…” he asked, confused. There was no way some random babble about bread could have led him to dream about something so vivid like this now… right?

“And also,” Phainon added, still rubbing his sore back, “did you hear any muffled screaming or something shattering last night?” Mem only tilted its head in confusion, “Screams and shattering? You sure you didn’t mix up your dreams with reality again?”

No way, again? But that one actually felt so real. Phainon could’ve sworn one of those screams actually belonged to someone he knew. But then again, he did mistakenly think he was staring at a giant wheat field, which turned out to be a dream… probably.

Ah whatever, it has already passed. Thinking too much of it might give him more brain damage than he needed.

“Welp, no time to dwell on that!” Mem chirped. “I can hear footsteps coming!” It swiftly said before vanishing into thin air once more, leaving a sleepy Phainon to stare at the speckles of pink sparkles floating around.

… What the hell.

Does this world have some kind of hidden vendetta against him?! What do you mean sudden footsteps?! He just woke up!

Phainon slapped his two soft cheeks as he frantically stood up, forcing himself to wake up. Still half-asleep, he fumbled to smooth out his uneven robes and ran a hand through his messy hair with a single dramatic sweep, waiting for his incoming doom to come greet him on this dawn.

And right on cue, just as he predicted, the two guards did indeed show up at his doorstep.

One of them kicked the door open with a loud slam as they surveyed the dungeon, only to find Phainon wide awake, standing there, staring at them with his cerulean blue eyes.

Phainon could’ve sworn he saw the two guards flinch upon meeting eye-to-eye with him. This better be counted as outsmarting and defeating his opponents, or else he will soon crash out in front of some poor soul, most likely to Castorice or Mydei, as he sacrificed his sleep all for nothing… while also trying to not sound like he was crazy because of the fact that there’s a system determining his fate, that is.

“Oh look, the brat’s actually awake,” The guard on the left spoke as he looked at the guard on the right. “Guess we don’t need to carry this deadweight like yesterday,” the guard on the right snorted.

… Hello? Phainon is just standing right here, he can hear whatever you say loud and clearly!

“Alright, listen up brat,” The guard on the left spoke while folding his arms, “Just because we were generous enough to drag you to the training grounds yesterday doesn’t mean it’s gonna be a regular service,” he spoke as-a-matter-of-factly. “And don’t expect us to keep waking you up all gentle-like, either,” the guard on the right quipped in.

On the outside…

“Thank you ever so much for your kindness, sirs,” Phainon said through clenched teeth. “Phainon promises he will never burden the two honorable royal guards ever again.” He gave a stiff unwilling bow.

However on the inside, Phainon was…

Kindness? Kindness?! Yesterday was a waking nightmare, you [SYSTEM NOTICE: USER PHAINON HAS UNLEASHED A STRING OF EXPLICIT PROFANITY UNSUITABLE FOR PUBLIC DISPLAY.]  Just you wait, you smug little [CENSORED] , I swear, one day I’ll stomp the both of you into the ground and [CENSORED] , We’ll see who’s laughing when I’m stronger, you oversized bootlicking [USER PHAINON’S CREATIVITY WITH THEIR INSULTS IS TRULY IMPRESSIVE EVEN SYSTEM IS SHOCKED.] !

…

He didn’t even swear out loud! What, was he not allowed to swear in his own head now?! Let him swear all he wants within his own thoughts, you scummy cheating downright awful system!

The system, upon hearing Phainon’s ranting, immediately glowed up right in front of Phainon’s face.

[#MAIN QUEST#]

QUEST: DEFEAT 10 OPPONENTS

TIME LIMIT: [REDACTED]

REWARD: 2 COINS

PROGRESS: [-7/10] INCOMPLETE

*NOTE: USER PHAINON, YOU ARE CURRENTLY IN THE STORY, PLEASE REMAIN CALM*

…

So what if he’s in the story?! Didn’t Mem say he can think as freely as he wants even inside the story?! Why is the system also interfering with his own free will?!

Well, the good thing is that his progression did increase, or decrease, ah he doesn’t know anymore.

Like any good system out there, it immediately began scrambling to rephrase its previous message, probably trying to rephrase things into a more acceptable explanation.

… Except it didn’t. What appeared instead was a screen with two very large, very ominous arrows pointing at something, accompanied by a disturbingly ominous warning that made Phainon’s thought suddenly come to a halt.

[#MAIN QUEST#]

QUEST: DEFEAT 10 OPPONENTS

TIME LIMIT: [REDACTED]

REWARD: 2 COINS

>> PROGRESS: [-7/10] INCOMPLETE <<

*NOTE: DO YOU WANT US TO RESORT TO “OTHER” METHODS INSTEAD, USER PHAINON?*

… Hahaha, come on now System, don’t be like that. You're the best system he could ever ask for! Truly, thank you so much for censoring his deeply personal inner monologue for… whatever ridiculous reason you saw fit, really! Just please don’t add more negatives to his progress. Pretty please.

The two guards standing by the door watched Phainon’s mood visibly whiplash from normal to groveling to depression, all within a span of just a few seconds.

“… Should we knock him out and send him to Miss Hyacinthia’s way?” the guard on the right whispered to the one on the left. The left guard shrugged. “I dunno man. This kid’s been weird since day one. Still don’t get why they accepted him in at all.”

… Just because Phainon was making weird faces on his own doesn’t mean he wasn’t paying attention! And what did they mean by “This kid’s been weird since day one”? That sounded an awful lot like an insult, even if it wasn’t technically directed at him!

The right guard cleared his throat abruptly. “Brat, I don’t know what kind of nonsense is going on in that head of yours,” he said as his hand knocked firmly on the wooden door. “But we’re here to make sure you get to your daily training on time.”

“Yes, sir,” Phainon replied unenthusiastically while giving a half-hearted pat to his chest, as if he were a knight accepting orders from commanders he disliked. The two guards exchanged a quick look with themselves before motioning for him to walk ahead of them.

At first, Phainon wanted to take his precious sweet time in making his way to the training grounds, but it seems as if one of the guards quickly grew impatient and made their point very clearly by pressing a sharp dagger right at the back of Phainon’s neck. So like any other sane person out there, he immediately sped up his footwork. As always, survivability first, relaxation second!

And Aeons was walking to the training grounds with his two tiny legs and his self-implemented-when-he-didn’t-even-ask-for-it debuff of a weak body extremely tiring. Maybe waking up early just to scare two measly guards wasn’t worth the effort. Honestly, letting them carry him like yesterday might’ve been the smarter choice.

Upon arriving at the training grounds, Phainon was greeted by the same group of children who had laughed at his misery the day before. They were all there chatting amongst themselves, forming little clusters, and completely ignoring his existence.

The two guards who had oh-so-graciously escorted-more-like-threatened him here were already gone, vanishing within seconds of arrival. Rude? Yes. Unexpected? Not really. He had given them both a solid zero stars in his mental transportation review yesterday, so he probably shouldn’t be too surprised, really. Not like he also wants to see them to be perfectly honest, cause the weird sensation of the sharp edge of the dagger still lingered behind his neck even after the dagger was long removed since then.

Now left standing awkwardly in the middle of the training grounds, Phainon wasn’t entirely sure what to do next. Sure, he could try striking up a conversation with one of the kids, but after yesterday’s public humiliation? Yeah, no thanks. That sounded like he was asking to be bullied all over again.

So instead, Phainon just… stood there in place. Glancing around at his surroundings like a lost child, on repeat.

There were the weapon racks. There were the shiny oversized metal gates. And of course, there were children who were all segregated into their own little groups, pretending he didn’t exist.

Weapon racks. Metal gates. Kids in groups.

Weapon racks. Metal gates. Kids in groups.

Weapon racks… metal gates… kids in groups.

Yep, nothing noteworthy of the sort.

And honestly? Phainon might have preferred that abandoned training ground Mydei brought him to yesterday compared to this one. At least that ground was filled with more things that are left for him to discover than this plain and bland ground that he had already memorised its layout within just a few seconds on glancing around.

Speaking of Mydei… what does Mydei usually do on the day? He’s actually never wondered about it before until now. He also somehow had never encountered him even once on the day after their meeting. Heck, the only times when the both of them meet are always in the library.

… Well, he is a crown prince after all, he probably has some royal duties or whatever to attend to on a regular basis. You know, the usual soul-draining schedule, according to every novel Phainon had ever read that was set in a monarchy. Poor him.

While Phainon was unknowingly deep in his thoughts as he stared blankly at the pale morning sky, he didn’t notice the quiet presence nearby, or rather, the hesitant voice of a child trying to reach him.

“You there…?” The kid called out, wanting to tug Phainon’s robe, but seemingly afraid to do so.

That question made Phainon finally blink back to reality and refocus. What greeted him was a boy standing in front of him. He had dark hair, verdant green eyes, and a small red mark just below one of them. He looked very out of place compared to the other children who were in here, just like him. Another sacrifice perhaps…?

Phainon blinked again, “Hello?” He questionably spoke.

The dark-haired boy wanted to say something before someone else immediately jumped right behind him, “Hello!” The newcomer enthusiastically greeted. This one had soft pinkish hair, their eyes duotoned with a mixture of pink and baby blue, very reminiscent of his sister Cyrene, and they were wearing a… female robe instead…?

“Eh?” Phainon blurted out loud. The pink-haired kid giggled, as if she knew what Phainon was thinking, “Surprised to see a girl in the battlefield?” She asked with a smug little smile. The boy beside her gave an exasperated sigh as he tried to nudge the girl off his shoulder. “March… that is not how we greet people,” he reprimanded. The girl, whose name is revealed to be ‘March’, pouted, “But Dan Heng, normal greetings are boring,” she whined as he continued to cling onto the other kid, whose name is revealed to be ‘Dan Heng’, “We have to make every first impression special! Otherwise, what’s the point?”

Huh, guess one of his questions had been unintentionally answered without him asking, judging from their weird names, these two were indeed sacrifices like himself. Like, who names their kid the month of March, of all things? He can excuse Dan Heng since that name does sound at least halfway normal, even if it felt like it wandered in from a different story. But March as a name… really? Did the author of this novel run out of names to name their cannon fodder that they had to start naming their characters based on the months of the calendar?

… But then again,  who was he to judge? His own real name was no better. Imagine showing up to a place where everyone’s name was something remarkable like Mydeimos or Castorice, and then you come out introducing yourself as Kevin. Kevin. Yeah no thank you. He didn’t want to be humiliated even further, even though it meant that he was losing a part of himself in a way. He silently applauded his past self for choosing to go by Phainon instead. Hah, Kevin. Why can’t his parents give him a better name instead of Kevin? At least Cyrene was a beautiful name… and then there's him, Kevin.

… His name aside, it was a bit surprising to see a girl among the trainees. Now that he thought about it, she was the only one. He hadn’t even noticed when he first got here. Though to be fair, he’d been too busy getting his face metaphorically and quite literally kicked in to pay attention. But then again, didn’t Mydei mention that girls were usually trained to serve for royals in the future, like Castorice? And not combat? Definitely a question for another time. As of right now, March and Dan Heng were still locked in what appeared to be an increasingly pointless debate over ‘the proper way to greet a stranger.’

Somehow, Phainon had been dragged into their dynamic without ever asking. He stood off to the side, awkwardly observing the two go back and forth, a reluctant spectator in whatever weird little makeshift debate they were having.

March was the first to break the playful back-and-forth. “Anyway! We’ve kept the star guest of yesterday’s show waiting far too long!” she declared dramatically, planting one hand on her hip while pointing the other straight at Phainon—which prompted him to inadvertently raise his two hands up as if he had done something bad and got caught red-handed, which… he did none of that whatsoever.

“You were very cool yesterday!” March beamed, her eyes glistening as well. “Even our residential cold-warrior Dan Heng here left his mouth open for so long that I had to shove it back up.” She let out a laugh while Dan Heng gently slapped her shoulder, his cheeks turning a faint shade of pink. “I did not,” he retorted, clearly flustered but trying his best to deny it.

… Oh?

“Really?” Phainon asked, lowering his hands and sheepishly scratching the back of his head. Someone thought he was… cool? That was new. Maybe all that suffering wasn’t just some pitiful act of display after all.

March nodded with excitement, “Yep! The way you managed to send our coach’s face kissing the cold ground was hilarious!” She grabbed one of Phainon’s hands and sandwiched it between hers, eyes wide with admiration. “What sort of hidden techniques are you still secretly hiding? You gotta teach it to me someday!”

Dan Heng responded by tapping March lightly on the head. “Ow!” She squeaked. “Apologies for her behavior,” Dan Heng said, bowing politely, though he also forced March into a bow alongside him. “She gets… overly excited about things,” he added, sounding every bit like an exhausted babysitter… despite also being a kid himself.

“It’s quite alright,” Phainon said with a small wave. “I’m Phainon, by the way,” he introduced himself with a small bow, mimicking these two quirky kids.

“I’m March Seventh!” March declared proudly as she sprang up from her bow, which also resulted in her friend sighing beside her. “And he is Dan Heng!” She announced with her hands forming into a dramatic ‘V’ shape over Dan Heng’s head.

“March… Seventh?” Phainon pondered aloud, “Oh, I didn’t mean that in a bad way!” he quickly added, waving his hands in an apologetic manner. Sure, the name was… unique, like did the author just seriously give up and choose the date that they were writing this story in and make it her name after March?

… But insulting someone’s name wasn’t exactly how first introductions were supposed to go. Common courtesy, Phainon, come on.

March didn’t seem the least bit offended. In fact, she grinned even wider. “It’s fine, I get weird stares all the time whenever my name is mentioned.” She casually said like it’s no big deal, “But I digress, March is a cute name, don’t you think?”

Phainon, unsure how to answer but also not wanting to come off as rude, gave a mannerly nod in response, “See, someone gets me!” She exclaimed, throwing her hands triumphantly into the air and shooting a smug look at her friend. Dan Heng only sighed as he watched his friend bounce around energetically on the ground with full of vigor.

Poor guy, Phainon silently thought. Sighing this much at his age sure does remind him of a certain someone though.

But before Phainon could dwell deep into his thoughts once more, March clamped both hands down on his shoulders. “I’ve got a good feeling about you,” she said, eyes gleaming even brighter than before. “We’re totally gonna get along, right Phainon?”

…

Potential future allies that could help prevent his tragedy in the future? Say no more!

“Sure!” Phainon immediately agreed without thinking twice while also firmly placing his hands on March’s shoulder. “Nice to meet you, March Seventh!” He added with a bright smile. “Just March is fine!” She replied, grinning even wider as she pulled one hand back to flash a quick thumbs-up.

From behind them, Dan Heng let out a deep sigh while the two shared a laugh.

Unfortunately, good moments never last forever.

The coach finally arrived with a grouchy expression and a white patch stuck to his face as a lingering reminder of the previous day’s mishap. Ouch.

Phainon’s thoughts couldn’t even register properly as March suddenly grabbed both him and Dan Heng by the hands and darted into the crowd of children, blending them in immediately.

The coach let out a loud exaggerated cough, instantly silencing the crowd of chattering children. “Today is a special day,” the coach announced loudly, “one that you all have been looking forward to so eagerly.”

The quietness soon abhored as many silent murmurs ran wild amongst the children. March leaned in toward the two of them, her eyes alight. “Could it be archery? I’ve been dying for them to teach us how to shoot!” Dan Heng shook his head, “Most likely not, there doesn’t seem to be anyone bringing bows and arrows,” he answered March as he observed the surroundings.

Another sharp cough cut through the noise. “Silence everybody!” The couch barked. “Today… we’ll be facing off against one another, just like many of you have been hoping for!” The coach revealed.

A wave of cheers erupted from the children—everyone except Phainon.

Phainon dreaded immediately upon hearing the announcement. Not because he currently has a weak institution with no cheat potion or Mem to help out, no. What chilled him was the unmistakable glare the coach was throwing his way after the announcement.

Yep, he’s being targeted, no doubt. Can someone throw confetti at him to celebrate this joyous occasion? Make the confetti pellets all black and white in colour as well if they can.

Phainon’s forehead was dampened with sweat as their eyes locked. One was filled with malicious intent, while the other was filled with wary apprehension. He gulped, hard. He did not have a plan whatsoever. And if he didn’t come up with something fast, yesterday’s disaster might repeat itself.

March, clearly picking up on his unease, leaned closer. “Hey, you okay?” she asked with concern, prompting Dan Heng to glance over as well.

But before Phainon could answer, the coach had beaten him to it. “You! The white-haired rascal!” He called out, “You’ll be our first contestant today!” He grinned, full of malevolence.

Phainon froze as all eyes turned toward him. Some were curious, some were worried, while some were hostile.

… Absolutely fantastic! As much as he adores being the center of attention, this was not how he wanted to gain it. Not with that many eyes, and not with that kind of tension. The weight of their stares was starting to crawl under his skin.

Phainon trudged forward in silence, each step heavier than the last. Behind him, March whisper shouted a “Good luck!” from behind. As he reached the center of the training ground, the coach greeted him with a wicked grin. “Ah, the rascal who managed to outsmart me yesterday shows up with such determination!” he boomed out loud, slamming a heavy pat on Phainon’s back. “Let’s give a big round of applause to our first fearless warrior of the day!”

If any outsider were to suddenly stop by and watch, one might think of this as some wholesome teacher-student bonding moment. Oh Aeons from above, how Phainon truly wishes this were the case.

The children all cheered loudly with their claps occasionally overlapping their cheers. Very much looking forward to whatever show that was about to go down.

Phainon, however, was already beginning to silently recite some prayer’s mantras he knew from his heart, closing his eyes and hoping for the best. He was not looking forward to whatever show he needed to put up. He was an artist, not a fighter for Aeon’s sake! Can someone please come help his poor soul out. Mem? System? The higher-ups? Lady Hyacine? Cas? Even a random passerby would do!

“The first person you’ll be going up against is… you, with the frilly brown hair!” The coach bellowed. A loud cheer immediately came out from the chosen boy as he practically leapt forward, wasting no time in sprinting toward the center. “I won’t let you down, coach!” he declared, slamming his fists together with dramatic determination.

Oh no.

The kid who was chosen was way taller, way broader, and built like a walking wall of muscle.

…

This is so unfair. How was it even legal to pit that against Phainon?! This had to be staged behind his back like there was no way Phainon was defeating this kid.

Comparing him to Phainon? The kid is a tree trunk deeply rooted in the soil that makes him unmovable by any harsh storm he may face. And as for Phainon? He is just one of the many brittle twigs that had been unfortunate enough to be detached from their tree and people could grab him and snap him with minimal effort.

The coach smirked and began the countdown. “On the count of five, we will begin!”

Oh no, oh Aeons, oh Titans, oh whoever is above. He’s going to die today.

“Five!” Wait, hold on! He needed more time to prepare! Is this how he will meet his end? He didn’t even have a chance to say goodbye to the people he loved!

“Four!” To his beloved wealthy clients, you were the reason he somehow managed to survive until now. Truly, you are his saviors for keeping the bank afloat.

“Three!” To his art dealers, working through all your contracts was quite a pain, but you were the ones who gave him his long-term fame, and because of that, he’s forever grateful.

“Two!” And finally, to his dear sister, Cyrene, if you’re somehow hearing this, you are the best sister he could have ever asked for. Sorry he has to leave you so soon, but please know that he had a good life, always because you were always there for him whenever he needed it the most. Truly, thank you.

“One!” It was fun while it lasted. See you all around. Those were Phainon’s final thoughts just before an imaginary tear slipped down silently on his cheek.

But somewhere in his mind, there was a silent yet pervasive memory, “You wanted to know how to run away within three seconds? It’s quite simple.” That dashingly sharp and familiar voice, echoing through his mind like a sudden tidal wave, crashing through his panic and washing it away in an instant.

… Was this what they meant by seeing your life flash before your eyes like a film before death opened its door? Digging up memories you didn’t even know you still had?

… Ah silly him, how could he ever forget that? Or rather, how dared he forget that?

Chapter Text

Inside the castle, the hallway was quiet, empty, and not a single soul could be seen wandering around this late at night.

… Well, except for one ‘special’ single soul.

… And perhaps a few other souls that were clad in golden armor, quietly patrolling the halls. But they’re not the main focus here.

This ‘special’ single soul, instead of resting like anyone else would have on this beautiful night, can be found running through multiple corridors, passing by multiple hallways, getting curious-more-like-suspicious glances from the other souls who were awake like them.

The said ‘special’ single soul was none other than Phainon himself.

His body was starting to ache as he wheezed through his mouth, like it was screaming and threatening Phainon that if he didn’t stop soon, the body would eventually give up on its own. Sweat drenched his face, soaking through his hair and dripping down to his jaw, staining his white robes in the process too. His lungs felt like they deserved retirement after the relentless inhale-exhale cycle they’d been forced to endure. His heart pounded loudly, but not in a ‘Oh my Aeons I just saw the most gorgeous breathtaking person to ever exist and I have decided that they will be the love of my life forever’ way, more of a ‘Oh my Aeons if this gruesome torture doesn’t end soon I might as well pass out dead on the floor forever and lie lifelessly there like it’s my grave’ way. His legs felt like they were burning, as if he had run over many blazing hot volcanoes while barefoot. His vision began to blur, the world around him dissolving into a foggy smear like a forest filled with hazy mist. His breath quivered, outpaced by his own momentum.

And yet, despite feeling like he was hovering between life and death, Phainon kept going, running like his life depended on it, feeling as if he had stopped for a moment, whatever he was chasing after would be gone.

And what was he chasing after for to be exact?

The crown prince, Mydei, his friend, obviously!

Yesterday had been such a roller coaster of a ride that he had completely forgotten to mention to Mydei that he would be meeting him again today. Instead, he was so caught up in his own embarrassment over… you know what… that he ended up sprinting out the door, all while muttering something like, “I’m so sorry for bothering you. It’s getting late. I must get going now. Goodbye!” And he said it all in one breath. Didn’t even stick around to hear Mydei’s response before slamming the door shut with a loud bang. And that basically sums up why he is currently forcing these two tiny legs of his to run as fast as he could, even if it felt like torture.

Worse of all? Phainon has no idea if Mydei will even be at the place he’s running to. Because why else? Oh totally not because he had forgotten to tell Mydei that they’d be meeting today, totally.

And Aeons, Phainon just prays Mydei hasn’t left yet. Cause if he has, He’s most likely going to end up meeting face-to-face on his pillow once again tonight, probably ranting to Mem about how idiotic he is for leaving so abruptly and completely forgetting to mention he’d be showing up today, all because of his own mortifying embarrassment.

Not to mention this late at night too! Mydei’s a crown prince for crying out loud! He should be in his royal chambers or wherever the royals like to sleep, tucked into his bed by now and off to slumberland by now. All of this could’ve been avoided if he had not forgotten to tell Mydei he would be meeting him today!

Has he mentioned that he forgot to tell Mydei he would be meeting him today? Probably not.

And after the painful trek and long minutes of internally roasting himself, there he was, finally reaching his destination, out of breath while panting.

The familiar door that is lined with cobwebs clinging to its edges.

The castle’s library.

“My—Dei!” Phainon gasped out the crown prince’s name between his pants as he burst into the library, the door slamming open behind him.

And there he was, all in his glory, sitting on his favourite window seat, with a closed book in his hand.

Oh thank the Aeons for not making his internal and external suffering all for nothing. Mydei is there!

… Though that does kinda begs the question. Why is he still here? Cause really, it’s late at night with nobody around except for maybe a few patrolling guards that he saw passing by. Oh, but who was he to judge? He’s the crown prince! He can do whatever he wants! And not like Phainon wants him gone anyway, cause you know, he didn’t want his suffering to bear no fruit at the end.

And as a conversation starter before his original plan…

“You—hah, would not—huff, believe what I—hah, did to—huff, day!” (You would not believe what I did today!) Phainon said while heaving his chest back and forth, trying to regain back his lost breath.

Unfortunately, his vision was too blurred to see what expression Mydei had conjured up, “... You idiot, did you try to outrun a dromas or something?!” But judging from the tone of the crown prince’s reply, it was most likely annoyance.

… What is a dromas? Is this another fantasy creature that does not exist back in his world? Ah he doesn’t know, but it felt more like he was trying to outrun the Aeon of Luck more than anything. Regardless, Mydei is here and that’s all that matters to him.

Phainon pushed his exhausted body forward, forcing what little stamina he had left to carry him through the rows of dusty bookshelves and slumped down tiredly beside Mydei, like the past two times he had when he visited the library, as if this particular spot beside the window seat was now fully owned by him. Phainon breathed in and out for a brief moment, slowly recovering his lost consciousness, wiping his sweat-covered face with his forearm as he opened his mouth, “You’re teachings… did wonders!” He said, inhaling deeply. “Guess… how many opponents I… defeated today!” He exhaled, grinning despite the exhaustion.

Instead of indulging Phainon, Mydei simply raised an eyebrow. “Relearn how to breathe first before you speak to me,” he said, his nose scrunched in disdain as he pushed open the window, letting the chill breeze run freely in the library. Phainon pouted slightly, leaning back against the wall. “You're not going to… guess…?” He asked, his tone playful mixed with tiredness.

Mydei reluctantly gave in to Phainon’s antics. “Fine,” he sighed deeply. “How many?” He asked, tone laced with indifference as he shifted his gaze out the window, seemingly more captivated by the night sky than whatever grand revelation Phainon was about to unravel to him.

Phainon, however, didn’t mind at all. Just having Mydei’s attention was more than enough. “Thirty!” He declared triumphantly, holding up three fingers toward the prince’s direction… even if the latter didn’t even spare a glance at him.

But suddenly, “Oh?” Mydei perked up, shifting his gaze back from the candescent night sky to Phainon’s way, “My dog managed to accomplish such an impressive feat?” His attention is now fully captured by Phainon. “Do tell me more,” he smirked.

… Phainon couldn’t help but sigh internally. He was never going to escape that dog nickname, was he? But ignoring that shameful nickname aside, Phainon counts this as a win in his book. He took a deep breath, “You see—”

—It all began when Phainon’s gaze was locked with the kid that he was unfortunate enough to be pitted against with. After the countdown, the kid did not even spare a single second and immediately charged after Phainon with the most fearsome death stare Phainon has ever seen on a child, like it was screaming to him that if he doesn’t make a move in the next three seconds, he can bid his life adieu.

But, it’s quite alright, for Phainon has an exceptional instructor. The exceptional instructor has taught him a few tricks up his sleeve that he was more than ready enough to use.

“You aim for their vital points—then run.”

Vital points… vital points… which part of the body hurts the most that requires the least effort to hit for the opponent to squirm and preserve his energy in the meantime?

…

He only has one in mind.

…

But it’s one that he really doesn’t want to resort to.

…

That part.

…

It counts as a vital point… right?

…

Look, he is also a male himself, so of course he knows how painful it feels when that part of the body is even to get a single scratch. As much as he also doesn’t want to subject this kind of torture for this poor kid, he didn’t really have a choice now, his life was on the line for Aeon’s sake!

As the kid tries to bulldoze his way in front of Phainon with his fist glaringly facing his face, Phainon quickly ducked underneath from his punch and kicked the kid’s… poor groin.

The kid, seemingly not expecting this kind of counterattack, widened his eyes in pain and slumped down to the ground as he groveled in pain. “Ouch—how is that fair?!” The kid whined as he placed both of his hands near his groin, and he rolled around pitifully on the ground. Phainon only opted to watch the poor kid groan in pain as he silently formed an apology in his head. Sorry!

All the children watching stood there, dumbfounded, unable to believe what they’d just witnessed. Their jaws dropped in unison, all eyes widened in shock. His two friends on the other hand, one was trying her best to stifle her laughter as the other stared at him with the most astounded face he could muster up.

“That... Someone get this kid to the physician, now!” The coach sputtered. Even the coach couldn’t hide his surprise—

“—You seriously did that?” Mydei asked with the widest bewildered expression Phainon has ever seen on him. “You should’ve seen the coach’s face!” Phainon burst out laughing, a tear escaping down his cheek. “It was very funny!”

Mydei sighed while shaking his head, unamused, “That’s one down, what about the rest?” He asked. Phainon’s eyes glimmered, “Oh, we’re just getting to the good part!” He spoke with a flare of mischievousness lacing his tone while Mydei looked at him with doubt, seemingly not trusting whatever Phainon’s about to reveal next, “so continuing where we last left off—”

—The coach rubbed his temples before suddenly beginning to shout again, “You, the one with tousled ginger hair, you’re next!”

… Wait, he needs to fight more?! Come on now, this is getting more and more unfair! He can’t even take a one-round rest? This activity was definitely targeted towards him. Coach, just because Phainon has outbested you once doesn’t mean you need to be this spiteful towards him!

The kid chosen from the crowd didn’t make a spectacle of himself, unlike the last one. This one simply walked forward, bowed in front of the both of them and prepared himself quietly.

Though thankfully, at least this new challenger wasn’t as big or muscular as the previous one... but that also didn’t mean he didn’t look like he could pack a punch. Great.

This kid looks calmer than the last, more calculative, as if he were able to solve the world’s top ten biggest unsolved mysteries with ease, like he is some kind of genius who was always at the top of the class. Comparing him to Phainon? Phainon’s the dunce that’s sitting in the lone corner of the class just because he couldn’t solve a simple question such as one plus one.

“I’m well prepared, coach,” The kid spoke confidently as if he was already certain he could take Phainon down in a single blow. Oh Aeons, another headache.

“I like your spirit!” The coach boasted loudly before clapping his hands together, “On the count of three, we will begin!”

… Three?! You cannot just cut off that extra two seconds just because you can, coach! How was he supposed to come up with a plan within three seconds?!

“Three!” No! Wait! Stop! He hasn’t finished ranting in his head yet! Give him a break!

“Two!” Brain, can you refresh quickly? He is running out of time here!

“One!” Ah, what did Mydei teach him again after that last one? Urgh, was it something along the lines of—

“If things go south and you get caught, a kick here will buy you time to run.”

… A kick in the abdomen.

Unlike the last kid, this one moved with precision, as though he could read what Phainon was thinking in the back of his head, “I know your tricks,” he shouted with confidence. “You can’t pull the same move twice on me!”

… It’s alright kid, Phainon won’t resort to that kind of torture on you, one was already enough. He has a conscience, unlike the rest of you lot standing here. Please do not worry. But that doesn’t mean he won’t offer you a different kind of ‘torture’.

The kid whipped out his most elegant stance, ready to lunge forward at Phainon any time as he moved in circles. Phainon followed the kid’s movement carefully, watching him circling Phainon around, over and over… and over and over… and over…

…

What is this, some sort of red carpet fashion show? Or was the kid planning to circle around him forever in attempts to hypnotize him into never-ending sleep or what?!

Phainon blinked at the kid, unimpressed. “... Are you going to make a move on me?” He asked, eyes still trailing around the kid. The kid, still walking in circles, “You’re one to talk! You’re not making a move either!” He shouted back.

…

You know what? Phainon takes back everything he thought about this kid being smart. If he were to be stationed on the battlefield right here this instant, the opponent would probably already take their chance in stabbing this kid before he’s about to unleash… whatever he is planning.

Alright, if the kid won’t take the initiative, then Phainon will.

Sick of watching the endless circling, Phainon charged at the kid, his gaze not on the kid’s eyes, but directly on his abdomen.

Lower abdomen to be more precise, that was where Mydei had almost kicked him last time, was it not?

But before Phainon could even initiate his plans, the kid strided a few steps back, eyes studying Phainon’s movements before he launched himself forward, legs striking straight toward Phainon’s torso, his lower abdomen, very much akin to how Mydei did back when they were at the abandoned training grounds.

… Did this kid read his mind or what?

Though luckily enough, Phainon had already been on the receiving end of that exact move, courtesy of the crown prince himself. And because the kid’s movements were much slower than the crown prince's, Phainon was quick to read it and sidestep the attack.

Oh alright, this kid has the guts and the skills. This might be more of a hassle than he initially thought. Maybe he needs to up his game a little and alter his original strategy a bit.

Or perhaps… he should indulge himself once more, there really was no rule that forbade him from messing around this time now, right? And from the looks of it, just about everyone here seemed to have a death wish involving him anyway. He might as well return the sentiment. Besides, this wasn’t Mydei. Let Phainon have his fun for real this time!

Cue his new plan! The super-duper ultimate amazing final last attack!

… Phainon’s not going to reveal whatever that is before he unleashes it, cause who knows if this kid can actually read minds or not.

With a new sense of direction, Phainon dashed towards the kid once more. But this time, instead of a direct approach, he slipped mischievously behind the kid and gave him a playful poke in the back. “Whoops, missed me!” He chuckled.

The kid spun around, fist clenched and aiming straight for Phainon’s face. Providentially, because of Phainon’s youthful flexibility, that fist attack unfortunately also missed. "Missed me again!" he teased while sticking out his tongue.

The kid, clearly frustrated from Phainon’s weird antics, “Hey, stop this ridiculous game of yours and face me head-on!” The kid shouted before launching himself forward, aiming a sharp kick straight at Phainon’s waist. But just like their previous attempts, Phainon dodged it effortlessly like he was doing ballet. “Another miss!” He mocked, stretching one of his eyes like those naughty children.

Punch, dodge. Kick, dodge. Another punch, another dodge. Another kick, another dodge.

This is getting addictively fun. The more Phainon taunted, the harder the kid tried, and the more he fell into his mischief. But eventually, the thrill wore off. Phainon could feel the fatigue creeping in, and with a sigh, decided it was time to end this parade of dancing around like monkeys.

Then came the kid’s final charge, shouting some sort of chant and throwing every last bit of strength into one strong leap toward Phainon.

And what did Phainon do? His super-duper ultimate amazing final last attack he had been saving for the end!

Doing absolutely nothing!

While the kid was still in mid-air, shouting his battle cry, Phainon simply… stepped aside. He watched with mild amusement as the kid’s eyes widened—just before their face was met with the dirty grounds.

“Sorry, I thought I was in your way, so I moved,” Phainon said with the most unapologetic tone he’s ever spoken with. He could practically hear one of his friends cackling in the distance as well.

The kid trembled as he pushed himself off the ground. “You—you! My dad will hear about this!” He shouted, pointing a trembling finger at Phainon with one hand while the other clutched his nose… which had blood slowly dripping out of his hand—

“—And they had to call someone to take the kid to the phi…si—sian again,” Phainon spoke triumphantly despite fumbling his words. Mydei simply closed his eyes, “I sometimes wonder what actually goes on in that head of yours.” He sighed, with a hint of faint disgrace lacing his voice.

Phainon only wiggled his eyebrows smugly. “What can I say, I’m something of a genius myself!” That sentence alone earned Phainon a sharp flick to the forehead. “Yeah, genius in foolish schemes,” Mydei muttered. “I don’t recall ever teaching you these ridiculous propositions.”

“Hey, that hurts!” Phainon rubbed his forehead dramatically while pretending to be hurt, before adding a cheeky remark. “But I did use your teachings as a rough guideline, therefore you are also responsible for this!”

Instead of jabbing back at Phaion like what Mydei usually does, he simply smirked, “Sure, I’ll take responsibility.” He replied. Phainon blinked, tilting his head toward him, surprised by Mydei’s response. But before he could ask what he meant, Mydei continued casually, “I’ll make sure my dog will be trained properly in the future and not resort to these foolish underhanded schemes ever again.” He chuckled softly to himself.

… Really.

“Wha—hey!” Phainon protested, “My plans are not underhanded in the slightest! You wound me, Mydei!” He tearily wiped off his non-existent tear. “And what’s with the dog label? I’m not a dog!” He angrily huffed out. “Didn’t you fully embrace that title yesterday?” Mydei replied, hand covering his mouth, seemingly trying to suppress a laugh.

…

Mydei is the crown prince, Phainon. Mydei is the crown prince.

…

Fine, for the sake of survival, he will just have to bear with this humiliating nickname for as long as he stays here.

…

Still, it was a bit of a shame that Mydei was holding back his laughter. Phainon would’ve loved to see the crown prince genuinely laugh, even just once. Was being royalty such a heavy burden that it robbed someone of such a simple joy? He is only a child right now! Shouldn’t he be allowed to laugh as much as he wants?

…

Alright, fine. Phainon wouldn’t pop Mydei’s little bubble. If calling him a dog was the funniest thing in the world and brought the crown prince even a sliver of joy, then so be it.

“I give up, do whatever you like,” Phainon willingly conceded himself as he lifted two of his hands high up, “But anyway, wanna know how I managed to take down the rest?” His eyes flicked toward Mydei, who was still struggling to suppress a chuckle. “Sure,” Mydei said, exhaling as he finally let his hands drop. “Humor me.” Phainon’s eyes began to glisten once more, “Alright, so—”

—The coach was absolutely fuming. Phainon swore he could see actual smoke rising from the man’s ears. “You! You! And you! Out!” The coach angrily ordered while jabbing his finger towards the three unlucky kids.

… Instead of three seconds, it’s now three opponents?! Coach, what the hell?! And no rest, again?! Where’s the complaints department? Phainon was ready to submit a full hand-written report about his poor experience in this stupid novel this instant.

“We begin, now!” The coach’s voice blared through the air and the three chosen kids sprinted onto the field, striking poses so dramatic it was almost embarrassing.

“Prepare for your demise!” Shouted one.

“Double the pain!” Yelled another.

“... That’s right!” Declared the last, albeit somewhat less confident like the other two.

…

Oh dear.

Phainon really misses his home, it was comfy, it has everything he loves, and most importantly, it doesn’t shove life-threatening situations down his throat in every single time he tries to breathe.

What the hell was Phainon supposed to do against this situation instead of accepting this ill-fate of his anyway?! Not like he actually has some super-duper ultimate amazing powers or some sort of hidden weapon under his sleeves now!

… But he also cannot let his previous fanfare of a show go to ruins now!

His solution? Be even more dramatic than the three overly-enthusiastic kids that he’s facing with. Maybe sheer confusion would buy him a second or two.

Letting out a heavy sigh, Phainon channeled all the martial arts knowledge he’d absorbed from watching cheesy action movies with Cyrene when he was a kid. He struck an elegant pose, one hand behind his back, the other beckoning his opponents to come forward.

The three children all exchanged glances amongst themselves weirdly before they all collectively charged at Phainon with the same speed.

And of course, if one were to strike a dramatic pose, you also gotta unleash a secret hidden technique to pair alongside it.

His secret hidden technique that he totally didn’t think of in the last second? Run.

And oh did Phainon run fast. He doesn’t even know how long these tiny legs of his or this body’s poor constitution could even last! He had to come up with a plan now before he collapsed into a lifeless heap, pummeled by the children while he reminisced over the many memories of his sister and beg for her to come save him in his last moments.

Agh, what was the last thing Mydei had taught him?! Phainon smacked himself in the head repeatedly as he sprinted in frantic circles, the three kids hot on his heels, narrowly missing him more than once while he spiraled in thought.

“You can run!” One shouted.

“But you cannot avoid us forever!” Chimed another.

“... What was I supposed to follow up with that again?” Said the third.

“Titans, you always ruin the moment!” The first one barked back.

Despite the bickering, they kept chasing him relentlessly. Aeons, could his brain please start running faster than his legs?!

It was only when Phainon had laid his eyes on the many weapon racks nearby. And like divine intervention, a certain someone’s voice finally decided to speak to him in his mind.

“Always take advantage of your surroundings. Whether it’s a weapon or a book, anything can become a weapon if you think hard enough.”

… Of course, his surroundings.

Phainon scanned his surroundings in a panic. From the weapon racks that had jogged his memory, to the shiny metal gates where Castorice was coincidentally there seeing his suffering from yesterday, to the useless piece of trash of a coach, and the children who were watching them closely. Damn it, there were so many yet so few the same time!

First, the weapon racks. Sure, he could knock one over and grab a weapon for defense… but absolutely not. One slip, one scrape, and suddenly he's on trial for accidentally murdering a child… as a child. It sounds tempting as hell but no thank you. He liked his head attached to his shoulders way better than that.

Second, the shiny metal gates. What was he supposed to do with those? He wasn’t tall enough, strong enough, or even lucky enough to pull off another miraculous coincidence where Castorice or Lady Hyacine swoops in to rescue him again.

Third, the coach and the children who were standing by the sidelines and watching all of this go down? Yeah right, how can he even use them for his advantage?!

Phainon silently curses to himself as he keeps on running. His legs are beginning to wear off the more he runs, which is a really bad thing. He glanced down, watching his feet pound against the dirty ground.

And then it hit him.

The ground. Or more specifically, the dust that was coming out while he was running.

While the three kids who were neck and neck behind him still chased after him, Phainon began to think about how he could somehow kick up the dust up to catch the three unguarded.

…

There is a way.

…

But it would come at a terrible cost. That being his dignity, and more pressingly, his perfectly fine robes that were soon about to be dirtied.

…

Lady Hyacine, please forgive what Phainon is about to do.

With a large inhale, pinching his nose, Phainon suddenly spun around to face his pursuers… or prowlers.

“Look who’s giving up!” First jeered.

“Should’ve done that from the start!” Followed by the second.

“... I don’t think there is a continuation to thi—” The last began—only to have his sentence cut short as a thick cloud of dust slammed into his face.

Yes, Phainon did indeed use his legs to sweep up as much dusty smoke as he could. And yes, Phainon did close his eyes before he attempted this absurd stunt. But no, Phainon did not feel a sense of remorse whatsoever.

The three kids coughed and flailed, trying to fan away the choking haze now blinding them, and there were even tears rolling down their cheeks. But today must be their unluckiest day as Phainon was still sweeping more dust with no intention of stopping—

“—And let me guess, everyone at the training grounds ended up coughing because of it?” Mydei asked with his tone no less than bewilderment. Phainon crossed both of his arms, “Not my fault the wind suddenly decided to act up and blow it in everyone’s direction!”

“Right, what was I expecting?” Mydei sighed as he rubbed his temples. “Defeating thirty opponents like that, only you would come up with something so ridiculous.”

…

Hey now, the system counted it as his win! So it definitely counts!

… But then again, not like he could tell Mydei about this though, sadly.

“It’s still quite a feat!” Phainon huffed indignantly, puffing his chest out. “And also, could you stop rubbing your temples? It makes you look old.” Mydei only scoffed in response, “How can I not?” He replied. “One of us has to act like the mature one in here.”

…

Mydei, you're literally still a child, Phainon grumbled inwardly. You should be climbing trees like you’re in some sort of make-believe adventure or collecting weird rocks as a side hobby, not pretending to be someone’s stressed-out dad!

Though the mention of childhood activities jogged something in his mind—it reminded him of his new quest. Oh how did he forget that as well, he was immersed in his own storytelling that he had forgotten about it. His original plan. He really ought to go pay the doctor a visit after all of this.

After accepting his pitiful reward of two measly coins from that good riddance of a quest, the system wasted no time updating his main objective. And what was his new quest? Phainon’s glad you asked imaginary audiences of his that he’s invented in his head for the sake of his sanity! This very quest was exactly why he’d dragged himself all the way to the library so late at night! With his legs aching, his robe that was once dampened in sweat but now fully dried out, and his internal roasting the hell out of himself from way earlier!

… Okay, maybe the roasting part was deserved but who could’ve predicted his next quest was about—

[#MAIN QUEST#]

QUEST: SHOWCASE YOUR HIDDEN SKILL

TIME LIMIT:  330 HOURS

REWARD: 10 COINS

PROGRESS: INCOMPLETE

As every single one of his imaginary audiences can see! Yep! Hidden skill, awesome!

…

As if Phainon even knows what hidden skill he has, nor does he know if the original owner of this body also has some sort of hidden skill?! Is this punishment for bullying the children back then where he had monologued about having hidden skills up his sleeves?! That was all nonsense, system! Nonsense, do you hear him?!

…

But the ten coins reward is… something. With that kind of reward, he could finally start buying things in the system store after this to make his journey of returning back home more smoothly! So he needs to complete it no matter the cost!

So therefore, after receiving this headache of a quest, Phainon thought really hard to himself. If he could somehow manipulate the system into thinking his absurd ways of outsmarting his opponents count as defeating, then there is definitely a way for him to somehow showcase these nonexistent hidden skill of his.

And oh did Phainon manage to figure something out.

If he were to look at it in a different way, by ‘skill’, it could also mean ‘talent’ in a way, right?

And what sort of ‘talent’ does Phainon have?

His artistic talent.

… Or more accurately, Phainon-real-name-Kevin’s artistic talent.

Unfortunately though, Phainon-real-name-Kevin doesn’t know if the real Phainon has artistic talents or not, but it’s still worth a shot regardless. Besides, if it doesn’t work, he still has all the time in the world to figure out something else… albeit limited.

So after that gruesome torture that was disguised as an activity, the first thing Phainon did was shamelessly strut back to Lady Hyacine’s quarters and ask for a new set a fresh robes once more, cause he cannot walk around with a dirty robe now, right?

Thankfully, Lady Hyacine was gracious enough to provide one, again. Though this time, it came with a lengthy scolding that included something like, “Please always remember to take care of yourself and don’t do more foolish things like that ever again!” Which to be fair, Phainon also wanted to stop doing foolish things, but alas, there is a system that has his fate and wish of going back home under their metaphorical chokehold. So apologies in advance Lady Hyacine, he might do more foolish things in the near future.

Later, while aimlessly wandering the castle halls on the evening and mentally ramming his head against the makeshift wall over this stupid new quest, Phainon accidentally bumped into Castorice, who was holding something. And it was that something she was holding that sparked the idea for his current plan.

“Mydei, could you close your eyes for a moment?” Phainon asked, flashing an overly innocent smile. Mydei gave him a skeptical look. “Why?” And that was all Mydei said. “Cause… I have a surprise!” Phainon replied, smiling even wider.

Mydei, not buying whatever Phainon was spouting, “You sound more suspicious than suasive,” he deadpanned, which made Phainon roll his eyes. “Come on, just trust me on this!” He pouted. Mydei narrowed his eyes, clearly unconvinced, but after a long sigh, he relented. “... Fine.”

As soon as Mydei’s eyes were shut, Phainon wasted no second and mentally called out the system.

[#WELCOME USER: PHAINON#]

I AM THE SYSTEM, YOUR TOOL FOR ALL YOUR TRANSMIGRATION NEEDS.

HOW CAN I HELP YOU?

Show me my inventory. Phainon thought, and out comes the inventory interface.

[#INVENTORY#]

COINS: 3

ITEMS: A Box of Coloured Chalk

Phainon tapped the box, and with a few jumbles of weird squares and codes, a container of coloured chalk materialized right before him.

Yes, the thing that Castorice was holding onto earlier was a box of coloured chalk. Yes, Phainon had asked politely to borrow it, and Castorice had agreed.

But unfortunately, Castorice couldn’t hang out with Phainon today as she has other duties to attend to. And unfortunately again, Phainon didn’t dare bother Lady Hyacine either who’s already helped him plenty. And unfortunately yet again, he also didn’t ask March or Dan Heng as the both were presumably tired after the entire catastrophe that is Phainon’s stupid antics—which resulted in the coach being mad and ordering everyone to run fifty laps around the training grounds, excluding him though cause apparently the reward for winning said activity was to skip out on training, and the coach, unwillingly, rewarded him with it, which felt really great if he’s being honest… but he does feel kind of sorry for the other children who were dragged into this because of him.

So his last option? Mydei.

And besides, hanging out with the crown prince means that Phainon could deepen their bond and maybe prevent his death flag in the future! Two birds in one stone!

… But he himself doesn’t know if Mydei would be there in the royal's library like the two times prior… and he also particularly didn’t make hangout plans with the crown prince like he had done before.

… Damn it.

The sky was also getting dark, he needed to move his legs, fast.

So after confirming with Mem that Phainon could store whatever he desired in his inventory, you bet he will be abusing this feature as much as he can! Cause he sure as heck does not want to run around with a box of chalk shaking around now!

… Though having an infinite storage system may sound good, there is still the downside that people might see Phainon storing or poofing things out of thin air. That might raise some eyebrows. So in order not to raise suspicion on himself, Phainon made a quick mental note to best stay low-key about it, hence why he had asked Mydei to close his eyes.

After that mental note, Phainon made sure he had stored the box of coloured chalk inside his inventory in the ‘comforts’ of his dungeon-bedroom before he made his way straight to the royal’s library without looking back, to find the person, the one and only crown prince, Mydei.

Speaking of Mydei, “... You done there?” he suddenly spoke out, causing Phainon to snap back to where he currently is. He really needed to work on his long internal monologues and keep them short soon… but no promises though!

“Yeah… you can open your eyes now!” Phainon said brightly, bouncing up as he held out the box of coloured chalks towards Mydei. Mydei blinkedingly opened his eyes, facing the box of coloured chalks.

“Coloured chalks?” Mydei blinked again, “Yep, coloured chalks!” Phainon repeated while nodding his head enthusiastically. Mydei gave him a look. “That’s the surprise?” He asked, bemused. “That’s one part of it, yes!” Phainon replied cheerfully. “Though, are there any papers around?” Phainon spoke once more as he turned his back and glanced around the library.

“Paper?” Mydei asked, sounding even more confused than before. Though despite being puzzled, he still answered Phainon’s question anyway. “There should be some in the back if I’m not mistaken.”

“Perfect, that’s the second part sorted!” Phainon turned back to Mydei, gleaming with excitement. Mydei, however, remained thoroughly confused. “Wait—I’m not following.” Phainon’s grin only stretched wider at that, his eyes wrinkling with a hint of devilry. He opened his mouth and—

“Say Mydei… how about we have a drawing contest?”

Chapter Text

Late at night within the castle walls, beyond the dimly lit corridors and deep into a narrow hallway where the royal library was located, two children remained wide awake.

One was ecstatic, brimming full of energy, very much eager.

The other was apathetic, devoid of any vitality, very much averse.

“Drawing… contest?” Mydei narrowed his eyes, eyeing the ever-so-enthusiastic person who had just proposed the strange activity. “Yep, drawing contest!” Phainon chipped, setting a box of colored chalk on the side of the window seat.

A sudden pause.

Mydei gave Phainon a weird look, a look that Phainon couldn’t quite read. So he simply blinked, “Is there something wrong?” He asked innocently with a small smile.

Then, Mydei was the first to break the prolonged eye contact, slowly turning his gaze to the open window. “... You want me to draw?” He asked, uncertainty lacing his voice. Now this time, it’s Phainon’s turn to look confused. “Is there a problem?” He asked, tilting his head and squinting one eye, still staring at Mydei despite the other not looking back.

Another sudden pause, but this time it was shorter than the last.

“... Can I concede?” Mydei muttered, voice barely audible as he turned even further away.

… Huh? Mydei immediately gives up on something without fighting back? Is this even the Mydei he knows from yesterday where he acted all pompous and peremptory from their makeshift training?

“What? We haven’t even begun yet!” Phainon exclaimed as he moved his head, inching closer to Mydei. Mydei, on the other hand, tries to lean his head even further away.

… What?

Even more confused than before, Phainon tilted his head. “Wait Mydei, don’t you like competing?” He asked. “Or… are you too ashamed of losing to me?” He teased, inching even closer… which prompted Mydei to use his hand to push Phainon’s face further away while still avoiding eye contact.

“Wha—eh?” Phainon squawked, squirming under the firm push. “Wait—I’m sorry! Stop pushing me!” He tried begging. But unfortunately, Mydei showed no sign of reciprocating his wish.

With a small sigh, Phainon finally slumped in defeat. “Alright fine,” he sulked, a slight pout forming on his lips. “At least tell me the reason why you don’t wanna do this with me?” He knelt beside the crown prince, who still thought that looking at the night sky was better than looking at Phainon himself.

… Not that he has something against the night sky don’t get him wrong, it’s very pretty in an artistic sense! But that’s not the point here! Mydei is blatantly ignoring him here! Hello, Mydei? Ignoring someone when they are asking you a question is quite insulting! Oddly enough, this is giving him some strange sense of deja vu too.

“Mydei?” Phainon called out softly, giving the edge of the crown prince’s loose red toga a gentle tug. And the response he got was—

Silence.

A very awkward one.

Much worse than the earlier pauses.

With the crown prince still refusing to look at him.

…

Was the idea of a silly little drawing contest so bad that it somehow made Mydei ghost him, in person too?!

“Mydei—” Phainon dragged out the crown prince’s name with an exaggerated whine, tugging at the end of the red toga with more force this time. The pull was strong enough to shift Mydei’s entire upper body slightly. “Look at me, please?” Phainon pleaded. “Whatever reason you have for not wanting to draw, I won’t laugh—” He tugged at the toga even harder, moving the crown prince’s head slightly alongside it. “—I promise!” He added earnestly.

Another long and haunting silence, with the chilly wind as an added effect to the eerie atmosphere between the two.

… That was just an exaggeration. It wasn’t haunting, don’t worry. If it were, Phainon would’ve bolted out of the library on the spot and dragged Mydei behind him without a second thought, cause who in their right mind would hang around a room with actual ghosts floating around?

…

Do ghosts actually exist in this novel world?

…

And if they do… do they also possess people like how Phainon possessed this body? Yeah no, Phainon doesn’t even want to know.

…

Why the hell was he thinking about things like these?! At such a time too! He’s just scaring himself! Ah but he’s getting way too off topic! Return back to the present! Return back to Mydei!

Though unfortunately, even after mentally reeling himself back, Mydei still hadn’t responded. His eyes remained fixed on the night sky, gazing as if he were longing for something.

… Was the view really that mesmerizing? More than Phainon himself? If not, then why is Mydei still ignoring him?

“Mydei, I really promise,” Phainon tried to lean his head closer once more, trying to catch a glimpse of the crown prince’s expression. “Really! We can even do a pinky promise like how other kids do it!” He extended his pinky toward Mydei, wiggling it slightly in a hopeful attempt to get a response from him.

Thankfully, the crown prince didn’t push him away this time. “... You promise?” Mydei finally spoke after all those long and dreadful silences. “Yes, I promise!” Phainon replied confidently, his pinky finger still held out.

Mydei slowly turned to face Phainon, his gaze flicking between his eyes and the offered pinky. After a pause, he gently lowered Phainon’s hand. “... We don’t need to do that,” he said quietly, closing his eyes.

Aw, Phainon was hoping Mydei would comply. But oh well, he figured Mydei probably wanted to maintain his princely composure, he understands. At least Mydei is now speaking to him again, so he doesn’t mind!

Mydei let out a deep sigh, his eyes darting to many different places. From the window and its star-scattered sky, to Phainon’s wide sapphire blue eyes, to the towering shelves of books lining the royal library walls. He seemed… hesitant, anxious even, as if struggling to find the right words.

But Phainon didn’t mind. Not at all. He could wait. He is a patient guy—er… child after all!

It wasn’t until Mydei’s eyes finally settled back on Phainon’s that he decided to speak.  “I…” Mydei began weakly, sounding almost shyish too. “... don’t know how to draw,” he admitted, tone way quieter than his usual one that it was almost inaudible. “I’ve never… drawn before,” his eyes were gradually shifting away from Phainon’s gaze the more he spoke. “Not even once.” He finished, with his cheeks flushing a light shade of pink, much akin to magnolia flowers.

… That’s it?

Phainon genuinely thought there was a really sad hidden backstory that made Mydei dislike drawing altogether from the way the crown prince kept avoiding his advances. But apparently not, Mydei just simply didn’t know how to draw.

But honestly… that was kind of adorable, and the way he revealed it was low-key cute as well, what the hell.

“Oh,” Phainon replied, a simple reply, all while resisting the wave of teasing remarks bubbling up inside his head. He gently rested his cheeks in his palms with his elbows propped up on the window seat. “But that’s fine though?” He said with a lopsided smile. “Doesn’t mean you can’t have fun even if you’re bad at it.” He continued.

Phainon doesn’t know what sort of expression Mydei has conjured up, but there was another pause before Mydei spoke out again. “... It’s a contest regarding something I don’t have knowledge of,” he finally said with a long sigh. “There’s no point in participating when the winner’s already obvious.” His gaze drifted back to the night sky once more.

…

Ah, Phainon should’ve worded his earlier sentence in a better way huh? Now Mydei looked like his entire ego had been crushed, and Phainon was starting to feel really bad about it.

“It’s not pointless if you have fun during it!” Phainon insisted quickly. “Besides, the word ‘contest’ was just to make it sound cool, we don’t have to compete if you don’t want to!” He tried to reassure the crown prince. “Just drawing for the funsies is also alright!”

For a moment, the crown prince remained silent. Then finally, he looked away from the window and back at Phainon. His expression was softer now, more amused than sad. “... You seriously are one stubborn dog, aren’t you?” He muttered faintly. And for the briefest second, Phainon could’ve sworn he saw the tiniest smile tug at Mydei’s lips before his gaze shifted toward the rows of bookshelves once more.

“So… that’s a yes?” Phainon asked, eyes wide with hopeful curiosity. Mydei didn’t answer his question directly. Instead, he quietly slid off the window seat and began walking toward the back of the library. Just before disappearing between the shelves, Mydei glanced back over his shoulder. “Don’t make me regret this,” was all he said before he walked straight ahead, and that was all the confirmation Phainon needed.

Phainon beamed even more from the response that Mydei gave him, “Ah, wait for me!” He shouted as he leapt up to his feet and sprinted right behind Mydei, following him to wherever he was heading to.

The two of them soon found themselves facing a corner near the far end of the library, where a wooden door sat nearly hidden between two aisles of bookshelves.

Mydei brushed the dust off the old doorknob before carefully turning it. The door creaked open, revealing none other than—another long unlit hallway lined with even more bookshelves that were covered in specks of dust with books scattered all around the floor, who could’ve guessed.

Though Phainon couldn’t help but wonder, just how big is this library? There were more rooms in here than what he had initially expected.

The two continued on their way. Their path lit only by the faint silver gleam of the moonlight filtering through the tall windows… not that it helped much if Phainon’s being honest as most of the panes were clouded with dust, muting the already weak light source.

Mydei, seemingly well-acquainted with the layout, moved with quiet ease, navigating the darkened aisles like this place was his second home.

Phainon, on the other hand, was struggling. He stumbled more times than he could remember, nearly tripping over the books that were scattered carelessly across the floor, his arms flailing around to regain balance and his mouth letting out a chorus of startled yelps.

At one of those yelps, Mydei, probably tired from them, tilted his head back slightly, “Please watch where you're going,” he sighed disappointingly before continuing to wherever they’re going.

…

As if he can even see where he was going in the first place?! Phainon wasn’t granted night vision with this body!

Seriously, do they not have any lamps or candles around in this back area? Someone could’ve died from accidentally tripping over these books! Actually, why were the books randomly scattered around anyway? This was a library, not some sort of death dungeon, so shouldn’t people respect the rules of a library and return them to their rightful place in the many bookshelves that this place has?!

And now even Mydei, a literal ten-year-old, had to scold him to be careful and watch where he was going! A child. Scolding him for not being conscientious. How embarrassing is that?!

…

Okay. Technically, the library had been abandoned for a while, sure, but still! Would it kill someone to install a couple of light sources here?! Honestly, it wasn’t even his fault that these books were unkempt. If anything, he was the victim here! A victim of poor librarykeeping and terrible interior lighting arrangements!

Phainon began to complain, “These people really have no sense of responsibility, just leaving books lying around like tha—” But unfortunately, his complaint was cut off short, as he stepped on a thick book and let out a startled “—aaaht?!” while flailing his arms around yet again to keep his face from falling flat on the floor.

Just up ahead, Mydei gave a faint scoff and shook his head, sounding even more disappointed than before. “Less talking, more focusing,” he sighed.

After a few more stumbles and near-misses to the floor… more on Phainon’s part anyway, the two finally arrived at a forgotten dust-choked corner of this area. And there lay a few things on the filth-induced table.

Scattered across the surface were a few crusty ink bottles that were most likely half-dried with quills stacked on top of them tangled with cobwebs, lots of them. A couple of old books lay open, but Phainon didn’t even bother glancing at their contents, not because he now has animosity against books, not at all. But it was something else that had caught his eye.

A huge stack of blank papers.

… Well, “blank” might sound too generous to describe them.

… They were absolutely covered in dust.

… And they looked old and musty as hell.

… Were these even usable anymore?

“There’s way more paper than I expected,” Mydei remarked as he stepped forward. He covered his nose with one hand and began brushing off the dust with the other, flipping through the stack to inspect the pages. After a few careful sweeps and swipes, the pile looked… somewhat more presentable. Then, he scooped up the entire stack of paper with one of his arms.

With one arm.

Just. One. Arm.

At such a young age, too.

The crown prince possessed a level of strength that Phainon couldn't even begin to comprehend.

Just as Phainon thought they were about to head straight back like he had presumed, Mydei surprised him by extending one of his free hands towards him.

Phainon blinked, glancing from the offered hand up and back to Mydei’s face. “Uh… do you need help carrying half the papers?” He asked, brows furrowed in confusion at the unexpected gesture. Mydei shot him a deadpan stare. “No, for you to hold,” he answered so casually, which made Phainon even more perplexed.

“Hold?” Phainon repeated as his eyes glanced back at Mydei’s hand. “Hold what?” He questioned Mydei, eyes flicking back to look at Mydei straight in the eyes once more, not sure if he understood what Mydei meant by his previous statement.

Mydei scrutinized his eyes, staring at him with a look that somehow became even more deadpan than before, if that’s even possible. “... Never mind,” he sighed, withdrawing his hand. “Trip all you want on the way back.” And without another word, he turned his back towards Phainon and went ahead, not looking back.

…

What was that even about?

Phainon frowned, still trying to piece everything together. Mydei clearly didn’t need help carrying the papers anyway, he is literally someone who could end his life within mere seconds. So why was that his first guess?

…

Wait, wrong focus. Phainon sure as hell did not want to suffer another round of tripping over randomly scattered books in some dark hallway.

Mydei, hold on. Phainon was wrong. Please come back!

“Wha—Mydei, wait for me!” Phainon called out from behind, “Don’t leave me behind to fend for myself against these vicious book death traps!” He jokingly added, quickening his pace to catch up to the crown prince before the darkness could swallow up the crown prince’s entire silhouette completely.

Mydei came to a halt and glanced back at Phainon once more. With a stack of papers still tucked under one of his hands, he didn’t say anything, only opting to stare at him for a few seconds, as if he was contemplating about something. Phainon blinked in return, “What’s wrong?” He asked. “Is there dust on my face?” He quickly wiped his cheeks, but there didn’t seem to be any dust on his face though?

Mydei gave a small head shake, “No, nothing,” he answered, turning forward again. “Just stay closer if you don’t want to say goodbye to that pretty face of yours.” And with that, he resumed walking again.

…

Pretty face?

Did Mydei just call his face pretty? What a revelation!

“Thank you for the compliment, Mydei!” Phainon cheekily teased from behind. But he soon found himself regretting this teasing remark as Mydei clicked his tongue in annoyance. “I take back my previous offer,” he muttered. “Walk by yourself. I’ll be going ahead. Goodbye.” He bidded and immediately picked up his pace, fully intending to leave Phainon behind.

“Wait no—Mydei!” Phainon quickly apologised as he tried to catch up with Mydei’s speed. “I’m sorry, please don’t leave me behi—wah?!”

… And of course, as if right on cue, another book suddenly appeared out of nowhere to sabotage him. Phainon’s feet accidentally knocked over the book and he stumbled, flailing his arms around wildly once again.

Thought it was quite thankful that this body had surprisingly decent balance, cause who knows what will actually happen to this ‘pretty face’ if he were to really fall face-first onto these stone floors.

As Phainon tried to steady himself with his arms stretched out in an attempt to regain back his balance, a sudden rush of footsteps could be heard. But before he could even react, one of his hands can be found seized by someone’s strong grip, yanking him forward without any warning.

“Uwaah?!” Phainon cried out, trying to process what was happening as he stumbled forward. He quickly looked back up to see who was suddenly dragging him—

—And the person responsible was none other than the crown prince himself, Mydei, gripping his hand tightly and pulling him along. Even in the dark, Phainon could still see the crown prince’s stunning cantaloupe hair. Mydei is truly something else.

But the crown prince’s attitude however…

“You truly can’t do anything on your own, can you?” Mydei spoke in an irritated tone, and his grip on Phainon’s hand was hard.

…

Excuse you! Phainon can do things on his own! Thank you very much!

It’s just that for whatever reason, there’s got to be some sort of weird obstacle obstructing his way. Be it random books or a sudden bizarre plot that he has absolutely no knowledge about or the system’s ‘divine intervention’. He really can’t do things in his own way at all! As if this world was really against him for no reason!

…

Not that Mydei knows what’s truly going on to be fair.

Phainon did his best to match the prince’s pace while grumbling, “Not my fault this place is so dark with random books scattered around for some reason!” He muttered under his breath. Mydei didn’t even glance back and continued on his path. “All I hear is a bunch of random excuses on why you somehow can’t focus on the path you're walking,” he sneered, still dragging Phainon with zero signs of slowing down. Phainon sighed, “Well, sorry I can’t see as well as you in the dark…”

Mydei didn’t let go of Phainon’s hand until they’d made it all the way back to the entrance of this pitch-black room. Only then did his grip finally loosen, and the lingering warmth of his touch quickly slipped away from Phainon’s cold hands. “You don’t need my help going back to our spot now, do you?” Mydei said as he shut the door from behind.

… This crown prince sure has a knack on how to rile Phainon up, huh?

“Of course not!” Phainon said with confidence as he rubbed his nose, “Watch, I’ll even reach there first before you do!” And those, regrettably, were Phainon’s famous last words before he tripped over something.

And that something was Mydei’s leg, stretched out just a tiny bit.

Phainon immediately stumbled upon contact with Mydei’s leg, “Hwah—?!” Earning yet another yelp after the many yelps that had already came out from his throat. His throat was also starting to feel dry.

After a moment of balancing himself properly, Phainon slowly turned his head towards the culprit with a warm smile. “Mydei,” Phainon said calmly. “You did that on purpose.” Very calmly.

Mydei returned his response with a perfectly polite smile, “Did I?” He spoke innocently, as if he were not responsible for any of this at all. “There’s no proof of it though,” he nonchalantly shrugged.

…

“Is this revenge?” Phainon continued to smile, very warm, very calm. “From before, I mean.” And definitely not a single ounce of offense could be heard from his tone. “Revenge?” The ‘innocent’ person questioned back, pausing just long enough to be considered provoking, “I prefer to call it recompensation.” He said, smoothly walking past Phainon with the stack of papers tucked under his arm and added a small satisfied chuckle.

…

Mydei, two can play this game, and Phainon means it this time.

“Oh no you don’t!” Phainon grabbed the yoke of Mydei’s robes and shoved him back as he dashed past him with a triumphant grin.“I will be the first to reach the spot, I’m a ma—child of my words after all!” He threw a quick glance towards Mydei and snuck his little tongue out.

Mydei blinked once, twice, before a wide smirk spread across his face. “We’ll see about that!” He called out, picking up speed as he took off after Phainon.

The war is on.

Within seconds, Mydei used his free hand to grab the back of Phainon’s robe and tugged him backward like Phainon had done before. Phainon didn’t hesitate to return the favor, shoving Mydei back once more with just as much petty vengeance. But instead of continuing the weird game of shoving each other back and forth, Mydei shifted his plans. He strided in larger steps, using his stronger legs as an advantage and easily closing the distance between him and Phainon while pushing ahead.

“Wha—hey!” Phainon shouted from behind, “You’re not the only one who can do that too you know!” He shouted once more before mimicking Mydei’s example and starting to run in larger steps… albeit a bit painful with this body. But hey, he’s done it before so he could do it again… even if it means tearing this body slightly…!

The library room was filled with the echoes of two kids’ loud footsteps. Some occasional giggles, waves of laughter and gasps for breath mixed between could also be heard. Giving an ounce of life to the once-cold and forgotten library.

Just before reaching the window seat, Phainon unleashed his last remaining energy and lunged forward. Now standing behind Mydei, he grabbed Mydei by the yoke.

Unexpectedly, perhaps Phainon might’ve used a bit too much strength… okay, maybe more than a bit. Because the next thing he knew, Mydei was stumbling backwards.

“Ah—wait!” Phainon cried out as he reached out his hands in a panic to steady Mydei.

But his efforts were, unfortunately, futile in the end.

The both of them had crashed to the floor in a tangled mess and the stack of papers Mydei had been carrying all flew into the air like falling flower petals, scattering all around the library.

“Ouch…” Phainon winced as he scratched his head. But to his surprise, his face had not plummeted into the cold floor. It had landed directly onto something far softer and far warmer too. He could also hear something beating fast directly through his ear.

…

Phainon’s entire body froze. Not because the chilly wind from the open window was getting onto him. No, not that.

So why did his entire body freeze?

Oh Phainon doesn’t know.

Totally not because he landed face flat onto the crown prince’s body. You know, the same crown prince who was most likely to be his demise in the future. Yeah totally!

…

As if he doesn’t know why himself?!

Phainon quickly bolted upright, and by quickly, it really was quickly, almost as if he was challenging the fastest runner to ever exist. “I’m so so so so so so so so so so sorry Mydei—!” He gasped, fear plastered across his face like he had just witnessed a ghost passing by. He stretched out his hand, and it was trembling. “Ah—uh, I-uhm, here?” His words are also jumbling up into a pile of nonsense. He’s so doomed.

Mydei didn’t utter a single word, nor did he even acknowledge Phainon’s outstretched hand. Instead, he only pushed himself back up into a sitting position and covered his face with one of his forearms. His face was also red, too. Might Phainon also add that the shade was deep red, too?

…

Phainon’s heart sank. Deep down in the depths of the ocean. Buried alive in the sand even.

Oh no.

Oh no no no no no.

Did Phainon accidentally hurt Mydei’s  face?!

Phainon’s body went stiff. “Did I hurt your face?” He stammered, practically shaking even. “Wait, let me see—Mydei, move your arm away, just for a second—” He knelt beside Mydei, hand hovering close to the crown prince’s face yet not daring to touch.

Instead of doing what Phainon had told him, Mydei immediately stood up, scarring Phainon in the process too. “I-I’m fine,” Mydei quickly muttered, “The papers. I’ll get them.” His voice was sort of robotic—and off he goes to collect the papers, not even answering Phainon’s question.

…

Phainon messed up bad, didn’t he? He should’ve kept all of his playful side to himself. See what that got him into? Survivability first, relaxation second, Phainon of Aedes Elysiae!

After slapping both of his delicate cheeks, Phainon sprang up from his kneeling position. “Wait, I’ll help out too!” He quickly blurted out and rushed to gather the papers that were scattered around in every direction.

One paper.

Ten papers.

Fifty papers.

Time seemed to slip by faster with each sheet they picked up.

Yet despite that, not a word passed between them. No idle chatter. No teasing remarks. Not even a glance exchanged. No nothing, whatsoever. Just the quiet rustle of paper and a long dauntingly awkward silence hung between them.

It wasn’t until only one paper remained that the two finally made contact again after the incident. Their hands brushed against each other unintentionally as they reached for the last stray piece of paper.

Phainon was the first to flinch out of their sudden contact, “Oh, sorry.” He quickly retracted his hand back as he looked at the crown prince. The deep shade of red that was visible on the crown prince’s face before had already faded. Mydei paused for a moment before letting out a small sigh, “It’s fine.” He said, picking up the final paper from the floor. “Let’s not waste any more time and…” Another short pause. “... draw.”

Oh.

Oh right.

Yeah that was why he was here in the first place. To showcase his hidden skill, yeah.

The two made their way back toward the window seat, quietly stacking the gathered papers into a neat pile on the floor. Phainon then reached over and picked up the box of colored chalks that had been left alone on the window seat. “Can’t draw without these now, can we?” He said, attempting to lift up the awkward air between them.

Mydei simply let out a soft chuckle as he plopped himself onto the floor beside the window. Phainon soon followed suit as he sat across the crown prince. Then, reaching into the stack, he pulled out two pieces of paper, one for himself and the other for Mydei. Phainon opened the box of coloured chalk and gave Mydei two colours, red and black, matching the colours of the robes that the crown prince was wearing.

“Here,” Phainon offered, and Mydei accepted it without indecision. “What are we drawing?” Mydei asked.

A simple question, really. Yet knowing Mydei had never drawn anything prior, Phainon found himself thinking deeply. “Hmm,” he mused, brows slightly furrowed. What do beginners usually start with? Should they begin with the basic fundamentals of art? Something simple like…

Shapes.

“How about we start off something simple?” Phainon said as he proceeded to pick out two chalks that were coloured blue and pink, “Shapes!” He happily declared. “Shapes?” Mydei repeated Phainon’s words. “I think I can manage that.” He murmured softly as he grabbed the red chalk and started to scribble something on the paper.

Now for the moment of revelation.

Can Phainon-real-name-Kevin draw while he’s in the original Phainon’s body?

Phainon carefully guided his blue chalk and set it on the paper. The tip of the blue chalk slowly traced around the paper, a soft trail of powder followed, leaving behind a smooth chalky blue line. Then he drew another line at one of the ends of the last line, going vertically downwards, now forming something like a bracket. He then repeated the same step as the last one and drew another vertical straight line to the other end. Last, he connected the makeshift bracket with a long horizontal line, completing his first shape, a square.

Surprisingly enough, his lines weren’t as shaky or uneven as he thought they might be. Heck, the square that he just drew almost looked as perfect as it can get too!

Phainon then went on and attempted to draw other shapes. A rectangle? Just like his square, it’s as clean as it can be. A triangle? He nailed all three of the points, no pun intended. And lastly, certainly not least, every artist’s worst nemesis, a circle.

With the blue chalk wrapped around his tiny fingers and the tip of the chalk resting on the surface of the paper once more, Phainon began to carefully move his hands in a circular motion. When he finished and lifted the chalk, the end result he got was—

—An almost perfectly rounded circle staring right back at him! What a surprise! The circle looks to be at least ninety percent perfect if Phainon says so himself. Genuinely not bad at all!

So in conclusion, Phainon-real-name-Kevin can draw while he’s in the original Phainon’s body! Though being able to draw shapes is only the beginning, he may need to test out other complex things later too just to be sure.

But for now? This is a win for Phainon in his book!

“Look, Mydei!” Phainon exclaimed as he shoved his paper in front of the crown prince whose eyes were still glued to their own paper. “How’s yours coming along?” He asked, his eyes already darting over to the piece that Mydei was drawing.

There were a few scribbles on the corner here and there, a wobbly scrawled circle off to the side, some rigid lines that vaguely resembled squares and rectangles in the middle, and a shakily drawn triangle on the bottom with the powdered tip of the red chalk still resting at the final point.

Mydei let out a long sigh, “Yeah, drawing isn't really my thing,” he said, letting the red chalk fall from his fingers. “They don’t look like shapes,” he added under his breath before lifting his head to glance at Phainon’s paper. He stared at it for a few seconds and his jaw dropped significantly. “Comparing mine to yours?” He began as a finger could be found pointing towards at Phainon’s drawing, “Yours might be worth a gold coin, while mine doesn’t even have a worth.”

Whoa there, slow down with the sudden self-deprecation there, crown prince!

“At least there was an attempt!” Phainon said, trying to reassure the crown prince. “Most people would’ve quit after the first line!” He attempted to joke while he shoved his own drawing to the side. “Look, even after these ‘failed’ attempts, you still kept on going, did you not?” He pointed at the many messy chalky scribbles that were present on the crown prince’s paper. “You even finished the whole shape!” He added, gesturing to each of the awkward unsymmetrical shapes. “I’d say that’s a pretty good start.”

Mydei looked at Phainon with a face mixed with bewilderment and sombre. “Ha, you sure know your way of flattering people,” He said, half-jesting as he leaned back against the short wall beneath the window seat. “You don’t have to sugarcoat it, you know?” He said with a sad bitter laugh escaping from his lips. “I can take the ridicule, just say it.” He snobbishly continued.

“Mydei,” Phainon called out the crown prince’s name in a stern voice. “I mean what I said,” He said as he crossed both of his arms. “No one’s great at something the first time they try,” he said as his voice gradually became gentler. “Most don’t even give it another shot after failing once,” his lips slowly curved up. “Yet you didn’t, so stop devaluing your own achi—yeeve…ments,” he finished with a sheepish grin despite the last word being fumbled up but sincere nonetheless.

Mydei lay there, eyes wide with his pupils smouldering like he’s about to cry. Although looking like that, there wasn’t a single tear present on the crown prince’s face. “Achievements,” Mydei muttered, narrowing his eyes. But this time, it wasn’t a look of melancholy. “These foolish attempts count as an achievement?” It was a look of genuine rhapsody.

For a moment, he seemed almost confused by the idea. “I’ll take it,” The crown prince laughed, he laughed, he finally laughed. “Yeah... I’ll take it.” He continued to laugh. Not a bitter laugh. Not a sad laugh. But a genuine real laugh.

Phainon stared at the sight that befell him. Staring at the once-mean-attituded crown prince, laughing out of his heart’s content. Laughing as if the things around them were no longer his concern.

Was Phainon stunned? Yes.

Was Phainon stupefied? Most definitely.

Was Phainon awestricken?

… Were the last two answers not obvious enough? Of course he was!

“You should laugh more,” Phainon unknowingly blabbered out. “It makes you look prett—” And his face soon collided with something—and that something was his own fist—and the sting that came after when his fist met with his face was very much prominent.

Mydei paused mid-laugh, catching his breath as he heard the sudden noise. “Wha…?” He asked breathily, “Did you say something?” He continued, still recovering from his laughter.

“Nope!” Phainon blurted out quickly. “Nothing at all!” Almost a little too quick too. Though Mydei looked like he wasn’t convinced at all, “Your face, it’s red.” He pointed out.

“I was just smu…jing my drawing,” Phainon replied, then immediately rubbed his hand over the paper, smearing the blue chalk into a messy blur. “Must’ve put too much energy into it. That’s why my face is red,” he added while still ruining the perfectly drawn shapes, making them look worse than before. “See? It adds depth!” He lied, it did not add depth. In fact, the drawing now looks awful as hell.

… Look, it was a lie to save Phainon himself alright? If the crown prince ever heard that Phainon, of all people, had called him “pretty,” his neck might meet the guillotine sooner than expected. Him? A random nobody cannon fodder who’s also a sacrifice? Daring to call the crown prince of this place pretty? Yeah, Phainon doesn’t think the crown prince would appreciate that. Mydei can call Phainon pretty as much as he wants. But the moment it goes the other way around? Phainon would honestly rather throw himself off the tallest tower than experience the process of his beheading.

Mydei blinked, observing the newly added changes made to Phainon’s drawing, “Looks… nice,” he said, offering a small yet confused smile. That smile alone was enough to pierce through Phainon’s heart in a million different ways, but all of those ways were nothing good of the sort, it was more of a guilty remorse type of way. Mydei then continued, trying his best to sound encouraging, “It certainly does bring out the… cool shades of blue,” he added, attempting to compliment Phainon’s new piece.

Mydei, you sweet summer child, Phainon doesn’t mind if you outright insult this piece that has been ruined down to the brim by his hands.

“... It does?” Phainon let out an awkward laugh, but deep down, he knew sure as hell that this drawing was beyond saving. But for the sake of the act, “... I’m glad!” He managed to choke out a forced laugh.

And just like that, “Anyway, let’s try to draw something else!” Phainon swiftly changed the subject as he crumpled the paper that stored the ruined art and tossed it beside him. A force of habit from his time as a struggling artist. He then grabbed two fresh sheets of paper, sliding one over to Mydei and keeping the other for himself.

Unlike Phainon, Mydei didn’t crumple his paper. Instead, he carefully folded the paper into a smaller square and tucked it inside the folds of his red toga. Phainon saw what Mydei did and got curious, “You’re keeping that?” He asked. Mydei nodded in response, “Yeah, it was my achievement. So of course I will keep it as a memento,” he answered as he patted the spot where he’d hidden it, a small smile could be seen on his face.

Phainon didn’t comment further. It was enough to know that Mydei had actually taken his earlier pep talk to heart. There was something genuinely touching about that. “So,” He said as he brushed away the blue powder from his hands with a clap. “What should we draw next?” He queried..

Phainon had expected Mydei to shrug off the question and leave him to come up with another idea for the both of them. But to his surprise, Mydei had actually answered the question, “... Can we draw fruits?” He suggested shyly.

“Fruits?” Phainon repeated. That suggestion was pretty sudden, even more so that it came from the crown prince himself. “Sure, we could do that,” Phainon agreed with a nod, “Fruits are easy to draw anyway!” He smiled.

And with that, the two grabbed their respective coloured chalk and began to scribble on their fresh sheets of paper.

Phainon took this opportunity to try drawing an orange. He had originally planned to draw an apple, but since Mydei had already gotten custody of the red chalk, so therefore, an orange became his second-best option.

The library was now filled with the sound of chalk squiggling and gliding over the papers. Both kids were very much immersed in their own drawing, putting their entire focus into just perfecting whatever masterpiece they were creating.

Phainon reached into the box and pulled out the orange chalk. As the tip of the orange chalk touched the clear sheet of paper, he quickly motioned his hand into drawing a wide circle. This time, the circle wasn’t as precise as his earlier one, but at least it still somewhat qualifies as a circle. Next, He picked out a green chalk, drawing a curvy triangle on the top while also adding a sharp leaf-like oval beside it, making this the orange’s stem. But Phainon didn’t stop there, the next thing he did was use the green chalk and lightly brush over the inside of the stem and colour it, giving the stem a pastel-like shade.

Remarkably, Phainon also didn’t mess this up. As a matter of fact, the colouring work for the stem he did was surprisingly good. Not as good as his former skills of course, but it was still a passable grade in his eyes.

Then, he also proceeded to colour the body of the orange, filling it with layers of chalky orange powder. The powder settling over the paper was soft yet vibrant. At the last stroke of his chalk, Phainon had finally finished colouring the large orange he had drawn. He then used his hand to gently smudge against the powder, blending the harsh lines with his softer ones, resulting in a smooth gradient effect.

The outcome had turned out better than what Phainon had initially expected. Yes, it might not be on par with the skill gauge he once possessed, but it was still a work of art regardless. So Phainon was very satisfied with his orange.

Meanwhile, Mydei was still concentrating on his work, scribbling intently on the paper with his red chalk. Very focused on filling the white spaces inside a roughly drawn black circular line with red. Was he trying to draw an apple?

“What fruit are you drawing, Mydei?” Phainon asked as he glanced at the crown prince’s piece curiously. After filling the final patch of white with his red chalk, Mydei lifted up the paper and held it for Phainon to see.

At the top, there were three rigid pointy-looking triangles on top of an oddly shaped circle that seemed to resemble the stem or the leaves of the fruit. A lot of red chalk’s traces going up down left right chaotically with no set path. Some of the red colouring had even spilled over the black outline, blurring the edges of the drawing.

Phainon will be honest, he has absolutely no idea what Mydei had drawn. “Is that… a strawberry?” Phainon asked, tilting his head, trying his hardest to analyze the piece that the crown prince drew. “No,” Mydei replied with a shake of his head. “Then… is this a raspberry?” Phainon guessed again, and the crown prince shook his head yet again.

“Cranberry?” One guess.

“No,” One shake.

“Uh… Dragonfruit?” Another guess.

“No,” Another shake.

“Er… A giant red grape?” An equitable guess.

“... No,” A disappointed shake.

This guessing game is getting so hard that Phainon even had to knit his eyes and nose to concentrate on the drawing. “What other fruits have three pointy lines on the top…” Phainon pondered out loud. Then, Mydei finally revealed the answer, “... It’s a pomegranate…” he sighed dejectedly, lowering his drawing down to the floor.

“Oh… oh!” Phainon flailed his arms in panic. “It’s a good pomegranate drawing! The line work is awesome! The red colouring is striking!” He threw out all the compliments he could think of on the fly, rapidly. “I’m dumb for not realising sooner!” He also threw himself under the bus. “Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!” He smacked himself in the head three times.

But before Phainon could smack himself the fourth time, the crown prince had swiftly captured his hand that was about to land on his own head. “Stop smacking yourself,” Mydei looked at him worriedly. “It’s fine, my drawing was incomprehensible anyway.” He released Phainon’s hand from his grasp. “Nothing to beat yourself over with.” He said. “But you looked sad!” Phainon countered Mydei’s previous statement. “And it makes me feel bad…” He explained while rubbing his neck.

“Then,” Mydei began as he ruffled Phainon’s soft snowy white hair softly, “It makes me feel bad if you are beating yourself over because of me,” He gave Phainon a reassuring smile. “Besides, we are drawing for the funsies… or whatever you call it, right?” He gave a small smile as his warm hands were soon removed from Phainon’s hair.

That small gesture alone almost made Phainon’s entire brain malfunction, and it was no exaggeration this time.

The crown prince, comforting him.

Mydei, the crown prince, was comforting him.

Mydei, the crown prince, his potential future demise, was comforting him.

Phainon really wants to smack his head again but because the crown prince had kindly asked him not to, therefore he cannot. So instead, he smacked his head repeatedly on the wall in his own imaginary world.

Mydei carefully folded away his pomegranate drawing and tucked it back into the folds of his toga once more. “Pomegranate… is my favourite fruit,” he casually revealed. Then, he switched the focus toward Phainon’s drawing, “So does that mean orange is yours?” He pointed at Phainon’s paper, of the orange drawing Phainon had drawn that he had forgotten about for a brief moment.

Phainon blinked once, “Oh.” Phainon blinked twice, “Uh, yeah.” Phainon blinked thrice, “Yeah, orange is my favourite fruit.” It wasn’t. In fact, Phainon doesn’t even have a favourite fruit. But now, he probably does.

“I see,” Mydei nodded thoughtfully to himself while Phainon remained frozen in place. “What should we draw next?” Mydei simply asked as he looked at Phainon with an earnest look.

“Can I draw you?” Phainon unconsciously asked, his brain still trying to reprogram itself. Mydei’s eyes widened from stupefaction, “Pardon?” Mydei asked, coughing slightly, completely stupefied by Phainon’s suggestion.

It was precisely at this moment that Phainon’s brain finally fixed itself. He blinked his eyes a few more times before registering what he had just said.

… Holy mother of Aeons, what had I done? Was Phainon’s first thought.

… Why did I say that? Was Phainon’s second thought.

… How the hell do I even salvage this situation that I got myself into?! That was Phainon’s last sane thought before his brain spiraled back into insanity.

Phainon hurriedly opened his mouth, “Uh, please ignore what I had just sa—” But before he could even finish his sentence, “Sure,” the crown prince had already agreed to his wild request.

Now this time, “... I’m sorry?” It was Phainon’s turn to look at the crown prince, stupefied. “What for?” Mydei asked in return. “For… asking to draw you?” Phainon replied back mechanically. “You asked, so I permitted you,” Mydei said with a shrug like it was really no big deal.

“What if I draw you poorly?” Phainon gulped. “So? I can’t even draw properly myself.” Mydei answered swiftly. “But what if I failed to capture you as a whole?” Phainon quenched. “I don’t see the issue,” Mydei reacted with ease. “What if I—” Mydei disrupted his next question immediately, probably tired of Phainon’s constant questions, “I’m fine with whatever you want to do, really. Don’t stress yourself out more than necessary.” He sighed.

Phainon took a deep breath. In, then out. “Are you sure?” He asked, needing confirmation. Mydei let out a light scoff in return, “The more you ask, the more it sounds like you’re the one who doesn’t want to do this,” he quipped.

“No wait, I do!” Phainon instantly blurted out as he moved closer to the crown prince with his eyes practically brimming with light that made the crown prince flinch back slightly. “I will draw you within the best of my abilities!” He declared confidently and promptly retreated back to his own spot.

Phainon grabbed a fresh sheet of paper, crumpling his last piece out of force of habit yet again, then immediately picked up the black chalk that had been sitting by the crown prince’s side. Without wasting another second, he began forming a quick sketch.

Phainon could hear Mydei sigh in the background as he walked towards the stack of papers and picked one up himself and proceeded to slump back down across Phainon and started scribbling something of his own.

But Phainon was far too absorbed in his own drawing to notice what Mydei was working on. The black chalk in his hands moved in all directions—from curvy thin lines to thick sharper ones. And from the looks of it, he had no intention of giving the chalk a break anytime soon.

After more rough lining sketches, Phainon scrambled his hand to find more chalk. Those respective colours being yellow, orange and red that he had hastily taken from Mydei’s side.

He began layering them to form the base, blending the hues diligently in an attempt to recreate the crown prince’s stunningly gorgeous hair. There was even sweat beading on his forehead with how intensely focused he is on this particular art piece. His hands were already smeared with streaks of chalk dust but he couldn't care less. He needed to get this right, he could not afford to disappoint the crown prince!

The eyes, the strange yet hypnotizing red markings, the flowing long robes, and the crimson toga that was held together by a golden garment. Phainon had done his absolute best to capture all of them, leaving no details behind… except for Mydei’s lower half. Phainon wasn’t about to risk being caught staring at the crown prince’s legs for any questionable amount of time. That would be very awkward.

Adding a few more bits and pieces of small effects here and there—and voila! Phainon had successfully finished his drawing of Mydei!

The finished results looked… quite alright, he supposes. Not his best work obviously, considering the limitations of this body, it wasn’t half bad. Not too shabby if he does say so himself!

“Mydei, I’m finished!” Phainon chirped gleefully, kneeling upright as he clapped the chalk dust away from his hands. He eagerly picked up his drawing of the crown prince with his eyes full of anticipation, “What do you think?” He asked with a ridiculous grin plastered on his face.

Mydei looked up from whatever he had been working on. There was a moment of silence as his eyes were fixed on the drawing of him. Then, he finally spoke out, “I—this, this is…” He paused, mouth opening and closing at the same time, as if he was trying to find the right words to use. “This is impressive.” He finally muttered out loud.

“Hehe, thank you!” Phainon did a playful little bow. “I poured all my heart and soul into this!” He said, his grin stretched even wider than before, his eyes were also curled up into a crescent-like shape. And it was the truth! Just that it was unfortunate he couldn’t pour his entire potential too, but he will in the future! And he swears by it!

“Is that so?” Mydei chuckled in response, “Then mine deserves to be crumpled up and tossed next to those two over there,” He added with a light laugh.

That response from Mydei was enough to spark Phainon’s curiosity. So he glanced down at the floor where Mydei’s paper lay, and froze when he saw what was drawn on it. The contents inside the paper were—

Mydei’s attempt at drawing Phainon. The linework was an odd mix of curvy and rigid, with several smudges overlapping some features. The hair included his two signature dangling strands, but the face was barely recognizable, and the body had been reduced to a basic stick figure.

Despite the drawing might look downright awful to many people, Phainon almost wanted to shed a tear.

“You… drew me?” Phainon asked, his tone was full of disbelief, in a good way. Mydei gave a small shake of his head, though this time it wasn’t out of disappointment. “That, I did,” he replied, offering a faint sheepish smile. “Though… it turned out pretty bad, so I apologise for that,” he chuckled.

“No,” Phainon said, setting aside his own drawing and carefully picking up Mydei’s drawing of him. “No, it’s not bad at all,” he exclaimed, eyes wide with awe. “It’s… It’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen! Thank you so much, Mydei!” He held the drawing up high in the air, admiring it like it was some kind of precious treasure. He almost felt like a proud parent showing off their child’s achievements.

“Don’t make it sound like this is something worth thousands now…” Mydei sighed, dragging the words out. To which Phainon happily retorted, “To me, anything is worth thousands—no, millions even, if someone puts their whole heart into it,” he said, clearly exaggerating but he means every word he had just said.

Honestly, Phainon couldn’t even help himself. Mydei, the crown prince, had drawn him! The crown prince, who doesn’t know how to draw, attempted to draw him! What more could he possibly ask for?

Mydei chuckled, shaking his head in mock defeat. “Seriously… what am I going to do with you someday?” He laughed, and Phainon joined in soon after.

Their laughter faded as Phainon began to speak, “Can I keep it?” He asked with pleading eyes. “This drawing of me, I mean,” he added, pointing back toward the uniquely imperfect stick figure drawing of himself.

“You want to keep that?” Mydei asked as he wiped away the chalk dust from his hands. “Please,” Phainon begged, "I'll take good care of it, I promise!” He pleaded once more.

Mydei looked at Phainon in the face briefly before snorting, “Sure,” he agreed laxly. “But in return, can I keep yours?” He asked, fingers pointing towards the drawing Phainon had made of him. “Deal!” Phainon immediately agreed without hesitation. “It was nice doing bu…is—ness with you, crown prince!” He added, offhandedly, another force of habit from his past life.

Though that offhand remark was not taken lightly by Mydei however, “... Crown prince?” Mydei flinched, his voice was rigid. And that’s when Phainon realised, he’s screwed up, again.

“So you knew all this time?” Mydei asked in astonishment. “... That I am the crown prince?” His breath was trembling slightly. Oh no.

“Wait er—Mydei! I can explain!” Phainon flailed his hands awkwardly as he stood up. “I really didn’t know you were the crown prince when we first met!” His words were hurried. “I only recently found out about it too!” His movements were growing even more frantic. “But that doesn’t mean I wanted to take advantage of you!” He wasn’t even sure what expression he was making anymore. “I ge—nuen…li see you as my friend!” His words are starting to fumble up as well. “I swear with my life!” He swore with three of his fingers held out, solemnly making a swear symbol.

There was a long silence stretched between them, very much akin to before. Neither of them spoke after Phainon’s heartfelt plea.

Mydei glanced at Phainon, then down to the floor, before meeting his eyes yet again. Finally, the crown prince sighed, “It’s partially my fault anyway.” Mydei admitted, standing up and slowly lowering Phainon’s hand. “I concealed my true identity from you from the moment we met, where you didn’t even know I was the crown prince,” he continued as he pulled his hand away from Phainon’s. “What a great friend I’ve been,” he laughed, sorrowfully. “Hiding such a glaring secret from you just because I was selfish,” a choked scoff escaped him.

“What kind of failure of a crown prince am I if I continue to be like this?” Mydei laughed out loud, but the laugh was hollow, as if it was filled with self-loathing. “Taking advantage of someone’s naivety, truly befitting for a failure like me!” He added, the laugh rising again.

Phainon stared at Mydei, stunned. Watching as the crown prince slowly derails himself before him from his manic laughing. “Truly…!” Mydei said, his voice loud but there was a hint of cracking. “Truly…” He said again, but his breath was beginning to show signs of trembling. “... Tru…ly…” He repeated, his words faltering, trembling alongside his breath, as if it could barely hold himself together.

…

Mydei…

Before Mydei could spiral even further down to his manic episode, Phainon pulled him into a sudden embrace, crashing them both into it. “Mydei…” Phainon murmured, his thoughts aligned with his words. “It’s okay,” he reassured while gently rubbing slow circles on Mydei’s back, attempting to comfort the crown prince. “It’s alright… It’s alright,” he repeated, doing his best to calm the trembling crown prince in his arms.

Mydei was shocked by the sudden intimate contact, startled even. But instead of pushing away, he had allowed himself to indulge in the warm embrace. Quietly standing there for a brief moment before returning the embrace, wrapping his arms around Phainon as his face came to rest against his shoulder.

Phainon kept tracing gentle circles on Mydei’s back, even as the crown prince’s grip tightened around him. But he did not comment on it, choosing instead to let Mydei hold on for as long as he needed.

Because deep down, Phainon knew—he wasn’t any better.

Mydei… I’m not much better than you. Phainon silently thought to himself. If anything, between the two of us, you’ve shown more honesty than I ever have. At first, I did indeed come to you with… intentions. But the more I find myself spending time together with you, the more I’m unsure of myself now. And worst of all? I’m keeping a secret from you too. One I can’t bring myself to share… at least not yet. There might be more hidden traps lying there dormant, waiting for me to step on, so I have to be cautious.

Those thoughts remained locked away in Phainon’s head as the crown prince showed no signs of releasing him soon, and he could also feel heavy breaths against his shoulder. But Phainon didn’t mind. Not when the guilt he carried weighed far heavier than anything Mydei could possibly place on him in that moment.

The two stood there for a long time. One clinging as if there will never be a tomorrow, the other offering comfort all while tangled in a web of conflicted thoughts. It’s ironic, really.

Mydei finally pulled away from the embrace, “... Sorry,” he muttered softly, his voice barely audible. “Needing you to comfort me like that, I—” Mydei began to speak further, but couldn’t continue as Phainon gently cut him off.

“Mydei,” Phainon called out the crown prince’s name considerately, placing a hand on the crown prince’s left shoulder. “You might be a crown prince, but you’re still human too,” he said, giving a light pat to the crown prince’s shoulder. “Haa… all of us here are!” He added with a warm reassuring smile. “Well... excluding the plants, animals and non-living things, that is,” he chuckled, attempting to crack a joke to light up the mood.

Mydei snorted from that stupid joke, “You sure know how to build up a heartfelt moment and completely ruin it in seconds, don’t you?” He scoffed in amusement.

“That’s a part of my charm,” Phainon shot back with a wink plus smile. “I’m actually pretty proud of it, if I do say so myself!” He grinned triumphantly, which earned a light kick from the crown prince. “You seriously are shameless, just like a dog,” Mydei laughed weakly.

Phainon chuckled along, deciding to let the embarrassing nickname that he was bound with forever slide. “Since it has come to this, how about we reintroduce ourselves again?” He suggested with a playful smile. “So we can really get to know each other all over again!” He explained easily. “I’ll go first!” He said as he raised his hand up high eagerly, like a student volunteering to answer a teacher’s question.

“My name is Phainon, I’m from Aedes Elysiae. A pleasure to meet you!” Phainon lowered his hand and held it out towards the crown prince.

Mydei contemplated for a moment before he finally shook Phainon’s hand, “Mydeimos, the crown prince of The Land of Castrum. The pleasure is mine,” he spoke dignifiedly, as a crown prince should.

“Then,” Phainon started, leaning in slightly toward the crown prince. “I’ll be in your care, crown prince Mydei—mos,” he added dramatically, patting his chest as if pledging loyalty like a knight sworn to his liege. Mydei didn’t humor his theatrics sadly, “Just… Mydei is fine,” he muttered with a sigh, watching Phainon’s over-the-top ridiculous act with unhidden exasperation.

Phainon’s ridiculous performance immediately abates upon hearing the crown prince’s request, “Didn’t you used to dislike that name?” He asked, dropping the act altogether. “And whose fault is that?” Is what the crown prince answered as a smile slips through his lips.

And with their reintroductions out of the way, the two resumed laughing, carefree of the late hour. They didn’t mind if anyone else might be nearby to hear them, nor did they care that their reintroduction still took place in this dusty unhygienic-looking library. What mattered the most was that they’d finally cleared up the misunderstanding and restored their bond to how it once was.

Phainon couldn’t help but smile to himself, both inwardly and outwardly. This was truly a night he would never forget. From convincing the crown prince to draw with him, to their playful banters, to the sudden heart-to-heart. He doubted anything would top this moment anytime soon.

Yet despite that, the weight of his secret still lingered in his mind. Somewhere inside of Phainon still felt conflicted from it. Even after Mydei had trusted him enough to come clean and reveal his true identity, he still had to lie to him straight in the face.

A part of him feels guilty, feeling as if the crown prince didn’t deserve this, the crown prince deserves someone better, someone who isn’t a fraud like him. But the other part of him feels equivocating, if the original person meant to inhabit Phainon’s body was here instead, would they have done the same as Kevin did to Mydei?

Oh the many conflicting thoughts swirling inside of him. Yet not daring to spoil this sudden heartwarming moment for the crown prince. So he silently made a vow to himself.

I’m sorry, Mydei. Maybe sometime in the future if fate is kinder. To me. To you. To us. I’ll tell you everything. I promise.

“So… do I get to keep the drawing?” Phainon was the first to break from the laughter, pointing at the paper that was long forgotten on the floor. Mydei wiped away the stray tear from the corner of his eye after all those laughing, “Seriously?” He deadpanned, but his face was still smiling regardless of his remark. “One moment you sound like you’re some mature adult giving life advice, and the next you're back to acting like a child,” Mydei said as he furrowed his brow, the smile still not leaving his face.

…

Mydei technically wasn’t wrong here to be fair, but—

“I didn’t hear a ‘no’ from you,” Phainon replied, his tone playful and childish. “So I’m keeping it!” He declared and snatched the stick figure drawing from the floor and pulled it to his side with lighting speed. Mydei’s smile didn’t disappear, “You didn’t even need to be that dramatic, the drawing is all yours,” he said as he stared at Phainon mirthfully.

“Who knows?” Phainon spoke as he shrugged dramatically. “You could’ve retracted the offer before I knew it,” he said, waving around the stick figure drawing like a prized trophy. Mydei scoffed at the sight of Phainon being foolish again, “Genuinely, what really goes on in that head of yours?” He wondered out loud, but his tone wasn’t anything offensively critical like before, it was warmly amiable.

In the background, a familiar ding echoed faintly, but Phainon barely registered it. He was so engrossed in conversing with Mydei that he had unintentionally ignored it. Maybe he will figure out what that sound was later. Right now, he has a friend he needs to keep company with.

[#MAIN QUEST#]

QUEST: SHOWCASE YOUR HIDDEN SKILL

TIME LIMIT:  336 HOURS

REWARD: 10 COINS

PROGRESS: COMPLETE

>CLAIM REWARD<

*NOTE: THIS SCENE IS TOO HEARTWARMING FOR THE SYSTEM TO INTERRUPT, SO THE SYSTEM DECIDED TO NOT BOTHER USER PHAINON  FOR THE TIME BEING, HOWEVER PLEASE BE ADVISED THAT THE REWARD ENDORSEMENT TIME LIMIT REMAINS UNCHANGED, USER PHAINON STILL ONLY HAS 48 HOURS LEFT TO CLAIM THEIR REWARD, WILL USER PHAINON REMEMBER OR WILL USER PHAINON NOT REMEMBER, ONLY TIME WILL TELL*

⋅•⋅⊰∙∘☽༓☾∘∙⊱⋅•⋅ Childhood Arc  ⋅•⋅⊰∙∘☽༓☾∘∙⊱⋅•⋅

⋅•⋅⊰∙∘☽༓☾∘∙⊱⋅•⋅ End ⋅•⋅⊰∙∘☽༓☾∘∙⊱⋅•⋅

Chapter Text

[ ██████████ ] 100% DISCONNECTION COMPLETE.

THANK YOU FOR USING MEMOIRE EMANATION MODULE V3.

Golden eyes suddenly snapped wide open, as if they had awakened from what felt like an eternal slumber.

“Geez sis, you’re really merciless, you know?” A deep yet smooth voice came out from the now-conscious man. He slowly rose up from a comfortable bean bag and stretched out his sore limbs, resulting in a few cracking sounds forming out of his elbows, then ran a hand through his tousled grayish hair as his gaze drifted toward the figure seated amidst a wall of floating blue screens—his twin sister.

The twin sister slowly spun her chair to face the man, turning her full attention to him. “Merciless? I don’t know what you’re talking about, Caelus.” She said, her tone sharp and flamboyant, not even pretending to hide the smirk that tugged on her lips as she tossed her long grayish hair that was much akin to her twin brother’s up in the air with exaggeration, clearly feigning her innocence.

The man whose name was revealed to be ‘Caelus’ stared at his twin sister flatly, “Are you deadass right now?” Caelus deadpanned with his brows narrowed, very unamused. “I’m talking about the newer quests you’ve given to User Phainon these past few months, Stelle,” he spoke with a tired yawn following afterwards.

The twin sister, whose name was revealed to be ‘Stelle’, only chuckled in response. “Oh, come on. It’s not that bad,” she shrugged unapologetically to her twin brother. “At least, it’s not the worst quest I have up in my sleeves,” she added while tilting her head, not from confusion, but from amusement.

Caelus just stared at his twin sister, even more dumbfounded. “The hell you mean ‘not the worst’? There’s even worser ones?” He asked, his voice was a mix of bewilderment and fear.

Stelle snorted as she watched her twin brother’s bewildered expression. “Just kidding, I won’t subject our beloved User Phainon to that kind of torture, don’t worry,” she reassured her shocked twin brother with a wink.

That did not reassure Caelus even the slightest. “You do know I don’t believe a single word that comes out of your mouth, right? My dear beloved sister?” He scoffed, arms crossed tightly as his brow furrowed even more that it was starting to show the hidden wrinkles above his forehead.

“Wow, is this how you treat your dearly beloved sister after everything she’s done for you?” Stelle gasped, throwing a hand to her forehead with theatrical flair as she shifted in her chair, striking the pose of a frail girl who looked like she was on the verge of collapse from the sudden accusation. “Waaaah, my dear beloved brother hates me!” She wails, full of melodrama.

This sudden absurd act made Caelus sigh as he dragged a hand down his face in exasperation, or in simpler terms, he facepalmed himself, “Moments like this make me wish I were an only child…” He silently muttered under his breath.

“Bro,” Stelle called out as she dropped her previous melodramatic act entirely. Her expression shifted to deadpan as she stared at him with half-lidded eyes. “Don’t pretend like you’re any better than me.”

“Oh yeah?” Caelus shot back, locking eyes with his twin sister with a rare seriousness flashing in his gaze. “Name one instance where I act like I lost my marbl—” He didn’t even get to finish before Stelle cut him off mid-sentence.

“Oh nooooo—Mem doesn’t knooooow—!” Stelle wailed, stretching out her ‘O’s dramatically, acting out a particular scene with her arms shrugging in the most conspicuous way that made Caelus scrunch up his nose with his brows knitting tighter by the second.

“Please, Mem didn’t do anything wroooooong—!” Stelle excerpted, her hands are now clutching at her neck as if being strangled by invisible hands. “Please—release Mem!” Her voice was practically edged with sardonicism.

“This is Mem abuse, this is Mem abu—mmph?” Stelle wanted to continue, but Caelus lunged forward and clamped his hands over her mouth, shutting her up entirely. “Okay fine, I get it, I get it!” He shouted, face flushed with embarrassment. “But in my defense, User Phainon’s wrath is legitimately terrifying! So my act was completely justified!” He grieved, releasing his hands that had seized his twin sister’s mouth.

Stelle just snorted from his twin brother’s statement, “Pfft. Please, as if you could feel any pain while wearing that ridiculous pink bunny suit,” to which Caelus only shot her back with another stare. “Try moving your consciousness to that ridiculous pink bunny suit and get threatened to be cooked into rabbit stew on a daily basis,” he retorted. “Then we’ll see who’s laughing.”

Stelle simply spun her chair back around, shifting her attention to the wall of glowing blue screens. “No thanks, it was hilarious seeing you getting smacked or squished up here. Do please continue to humour me in the future, my dear beloved brother,” she laughed while typing a random string of codes onto one of the many blue screens.

“Of course you’d find it hilarious,” Caelus scoffed, dragging a lone chair from the corner and placing it beside his twin sister. “'Cause in the end, the one suffering is me, not you,” he dropped into the seat with a sigh, then casually swiped through a few floating blue screens in front of him.

Stelle snorted from her twin brother’s response, “You’re not exactly any better either, you know?” She said while doing a swiping motion on the blue screen, sending the codes she had typed on their merry way. “Self-proclaimed reliable personal assistant yet giving nothingburger pieces of advice.”

Caelus only groaned as he heard his twin sister chortle beside him. “The questions User Phainon had asked me were all very peculiar…” he said, flipping through multiple blue screens as if he were searching for something. “It would violate the rules if I had given out too much information.”

After a few quick gestures, Caelus paused on one screen in particular—a display of two adolescent boys moving around. He expanded the display with a quick flick of his fingers, the screen growing larger in front of them.

On the screen, the two adolescent boys moved awkwardly around each other in what appeared to be a forgotten moss-covered ruin place. Crumbled stone walls surrounded the two boys with a few scattered broken rusted weapons half-buried in the dirt. The only sign of life that wasn’t the two energetic boys in the otherwise desolate place was a single patch of flowers on the side that swayed gently in the breeze.

The boy with snowy white hair repeatedly stretched out his hand forward as if he was trying to summon something but failing miserably every time he did. In contrast, the blonde-haired boy mirrored the white-haired boy’s motion. But unlike the one with white hair, sharp red crystals shimmered into existence above the blonde’s hand, floating in place and pulsing faintly with energy as they hovered up and down.

The white-haired boy turned to the blonde with a look of disdain as they said something to the blonde-haired boy, “Seriou—sly, how—do you ma—nage to do it s—o effortless—ly?” (Seriously, how do you manage to do it so effortlessly?) The boy with snowy white hair spoke, albeit his voice was crackling with glitches and distortion, the audio breaking up from poor audio quality.

“User Phainon has been at it for hours now, actually,” Stelle casually revealed, leaning back in her chair with her hands folded behind her head as she watched the two adolescent boys continue fumbling around with each other on the screen with mild amusement.

Caelus also watched the two adolescent boys move around with each other intently. “Oh gee I do wonder,” he mused with his hands pursing his lips. “Whose fault is it that is making User Phainon suffer miserably like this?” he sarcastically pondered out loud, which resulted in his shoulders being smacked spitefully from beside, earning him a yelp.

To nobody’s surprise, it was Stelle who was responsible for the smack. “Not my fault you dragged the wrong Phainon into this,” she argued back, eyes still glued to the two adolescent boys dancing across the blue screen. “If it were the correct Phainon, they wouldn’t be suffering from the side-effects of being mismatched with this body in the first place,” she added, her tone apathetic. “Seriously though, how did you even mistake Kevin for Phainon?” She asked, turning her head to face her twin brother.

“How was I supposed to know that the first result that came up when searching for Phainon was the famous artist Kevin under a pseudonym as Phainon?!” Caelus grunted under his breath, rubbing his temples as he relived the mistake. “Now the original Phainon that was meant to be in this body gets to live another day, lucky him I suppose.”

Stelle let out a devilish snicker, “I still remember Fuli’s expression after finding out you fumbled up the easiest part of this whole process,” she said with avocation. “You what?! How did you two even—you know what, never mind. Genuinely, how did Akivili even deal with you two troublesome progeny… I should’ve never accepted Akivili’s request to let you two stay with me for a few millennia.” She reenacted the entire scene, mimicking Fuli’s voice and gestures perfectly.

“You don’t need to portray the entire scene of Fuli’s meltdown to me now…” Caelus sighed deeply, watching his twin sister’s ridiculous performance once more.

“No way, I gotta!” Stelle huffed back at her twin brother. “I didn’t even do anything wrong!” She said as she placed her hand onto her chest dramatically, pretending to be all woeful, “Because of your carelessness, I was wrongly dragged into their meltdown speech as well!”

Caelus then slumped back down onto his chair with a weary sigh. “Alright alright, I’m sorry for before then!” He apologised to his twin sister.

“This is why I’m the better twin between the two of us,” she flaunted pompously—prompting Caelus to shoot her a sharp glare before lunging upright and aiming a playful slap at her shoulder.

Inconsolably, Stelle managed to capture Caelus’ hand before he even got to land his palms against her shoulders. She snuck out her tongue in victory—but the victory was short-lived as her twin brother retaliated with a kick to her shin, resulting in an “Oof!” slipping out from her mouth.

“Better twin, yeah right,” Caelus huffed in content. “The so-called better twin over here is creating ridiculous quest lines for their own amusement,” he said, his tone was nothing but snarky. “Truly the better twin between the two of us,” he added, his tone was snarkier than the last.

“It really wasn’t that bad now,” Stelle replied, rubbing her poor shin. “Why do you keep making me sound like I’m some sort of evil mastermi—” Now this time, Caelus was the one to cut off his twin sister’s sentence.

“Ahem,” Caelus cleared his throat. “Explore the castle, with a two-day time limit,” he recited, dragging one of the blue screens from around the corner, listing out all the quests his dearly beloved twin sister had oh-so-graciously handed out to their user.

“Defeat ten oppone—whoops, my bad. What I meant to say was defeat twenty opponents within a redacted time limit, all because a certain better twin got petty,” Caelus recited another.

“Then we have showcase hidden skills, a two-week time limit, with no hints or notes whatsoever,” Caelus recited the third.

“Those weren’t that bad,” Stelle insisted. She was about to elaborate to further defend her claim… only to be cut off mid-sentence by Caelus, once again.

“Those were just his first three quests, sis,” Caelus said dryly as he continued to scroll the blue screen. “It doesn’t get any better from there,” he said as he paused on a few particularly questionable quests that displayed on the blue screen.

“Climb the tallest tower within the castle, one-day time limit, and a measly reward of one coin.” Caelus quoted out loud.

This was User Phainon’s tenth quest, and Stelle still couldn’t get over how hilarious it was. “The way he panicked all day, asking everyone about the castle’s towers, only to discover the tallest was fifty meters high! His face went from fierce determination to like he had just personally met death by the time he found out. It was priceless!” Stelle burst out laughing.

“Find the freshest bread in the kitchen and eat it, with a twelve-hour time limit, and another one coin reward.” Caelus quoted another.

This was User Phainon’s twenty-sixth quest, and holy was this one comical. “I came up with that one on the spot,” Stelle admitted with a grin. “I was snacking on some pastries and thought, why not?” She remarked, shrugging nonchalantly. “But it was all worth it in the end. He had checked around the kitchen multiple times in the dead of night, only to be caught red-handed by our crown prince just right before he was about to munch on the bread. His made-up excuse of being hungry was also laughable, but for some reason the crown prince believed him anyway!” She laughed heartily, and not a single ounce of remorse could be heard in the laughter.

“Plant, one-week time limit, and a five coin reward,” Caelus quoted yet again.

This was User Phainon’s seventy-fourth quest, and this one was surprisingly more wholesome than one might expect. “Honestly, User Phainon should thank me for his newly acquired gardening skills,” Stelle said with a satisfied huff. “Plus, he gets to spend time with the crown prince as an added bonus, so this one wasn’t so bad!” She continued, sounding almost proud.

“What’s bad is that you’ve indirectly made User Phainon resort to stealing a bag of flower seeds in the royal garden’s shed,” Caelus said as he recalled the awful time he, while disguised as Mem, had to help survey around the royal garden in case anybody showed up. “After that kitchen incident, User Phainon had been extra careful as of late and it’s exhausting,” he lamented, still scrolling the blue screens as he sighs.

Stelle patted her twin brother’s shoulder with a bright smile, “Hey now, it was all worth it in the end!” She beamed. “Once the flowers all bloomed in their secret mossy-looking hideout, the crown prince picked the most beautiful one and gave it to User Phainon!” She gushed, and her voice was also squealing.

The sight that befell Caelus was low-key nauseating, so he opted to continue looking at the blue screen. “And these recent ones, the ones I complained to you about earlier, why do they all suddenly revolve around bodybuilding and maintaining?” He asked, his tone was mixed with both suspicion and puzzlement.

“Oh, those were intentional,” Stelle spoke, immediately reverting back into her usual tone. “After all, we’re getting close to that part of the story,” she revealed and dragged a blue screen that was densely packed with words and shoved it to her twin brother’s side.

“That fast?” Caelus gasped as he read the contents residing on the blue screen. “Damn, I almost forgot about it too,” he muttered, eyebrows knitted as he scrolled through the mountains of words residing on the blue screen.

“I’ll admit, the first few ones were just tests. But the more I observed, the more his body actually started improving,” Stelle confessed, drawing her twin brother’s focus to the enlarged blue screen that displayed the two adolescent boys. “See? User Phainon is able to move his body more freely than he used to,” she said as she pointed at the adolescent boy with snowy white hair who was doing some sort of new absurd pose.

Caelus nodded, agreeing with his twin sister. “Yeah, he’s not gasping for air or acting like he’s about to drop dead every few minutes or so,” he mutters while watching the same white-haired boy now sprawled on the ground as the blonde-haired boy beside him seemingly trying to stifle his laughter.

Stelle then crossed her arms in satisfaction, “Now you cannot accuse me of being merciless with his new quest,” she huffed in delight.

“No, I’m still standing by with what I said earlier,” Caelus retorted. “Unleash your magic, one-week time limit, really?” He said, turning his head to look straight in the eyes of his twin sister with a snobbish look. “He only had mana flowing within him just recently too!”

“He has to, for the sake of his future survivability in this story,” Stelle argued. “I genuinely doubt he would be able to survive whatever happens during that part,” she alluded, pointing back at the screen that was filled to the brim with words.

Caelus fell silent for a moment before finally speaking, “That part…” He sighed, slumping back onto the chair as he rubbed his temples. “But I feel like User Phainon might be a special case,” he glanced back at the blue screen displaying the very person they’re speaking of. “Look at him, somehow still surviving through the myriad of ridiculous quests you’ve subjected him to,” he stated as-a-matter-of-factly, voice mixed with disbelief and oddly enough, a tinge of admiration?

“That’s cause he was smart enough to abuse his brains and wits,” Stelle responded with her tone imitating her twin brother’s. “I’m one-hundred-percent sure he is not surviving for what’s about to come next, so I’m just prepping him for the future,” she finger-guns at her twin brother with a confident smirk tugging her lips.

“But one of the side-effects of being mismatched into a body not meant to be yours is that he can’t utilise the body’s full potential properly,” Caelus pointed out, redirecting their attention to the blue screen showing the two adolescent boys once more. “Like what you said earlier, he’s been striking ridiculous poses for hours now. Clearly, he can’t unleash magic like other users who got transported into a fantasy world!” He said as he leaned forward to the blue screen slightly, worry creeping into his voice.

Surprisingly, Stelle, instead of arguing back with her usual snarky remarks, suddenly spoke in a sterner tone, “I believe in User Phainon’s capabilities,” she said with her hands propped under her nose, like she was some sort of high-end company’s boss. “If he managed to survive with a weak constitution before I forced him into cultivating a healthier body, then I believe he could also somehow manage to find a way to unleash magic against all odds,” she explained her reasoning with her eyes burned with flames of conviction. “Given what I’ve seen from him so far, I’m willing to gamble he will be unleashing his mana and casting magic by the end of it,” she added, her tone not faltering at the slightest.

Caelus flinched at the sudden attitude and tone shift of his twin sister for a moment in silence. “... Fine,” he finally sighed, breaking the quiet. “But just to let you know, he actually asked me for a hint a few hours ago,” he casually revealed as he flung his legs upward to the chair, sitting cross-legged. “I didn’t know how to respond without breaking the rules, so I just told him to find the crown prince for answers,” he admitted sheepishly, covering his face with both of his hands in shame. “I’m not even sure if that was the right move, honestly!”

“You couldn’t have picked anyone better, actually,” Stelle said as she patted her twin brother’s back as a form of consolation. “Remember, out of every cannon fodder we’ve picked to retell the story of ‘The Crown Prince Throned in Blood’, cannon fodder Phainon was the best choice. He’s got the perfect attributes to stand beside the crown prince, Mydeimos,” she nudged gently at her twin brother’s shoulders. “Seriously, what a wasted potential to not make Phainon an important character in the story as well! Dying within three pages because of that part, really?!” She roared out loud, her tone suddenly switched to a frustrated one, startling her poor twin brother a bit.

Caelus chuckled softly at the sight of his twin sister roasting the hell out of the poor author, “Kind of reminds me of the many times User Phainon kept panicking over the smallest thing just because he’s convinced the crown prince is his inevitable doom.”

Stelle joined in the chuckling session with her twin brother as well. “It’s quite unfortunate we couldn’t directly tell him that he’s got it all wrong, but a part of me also doesn’t want to reveal the truth to him because it’s way funnier this way,” she laughed hysterically.

“You’re evil, do you know that, sis?” Caelus chuckled louder than before.

“Drama’s always been my thing, bro,” Stelle snickered while gently hitting her twin brother’s shoulder.

“... Though how’s the progress?” Caelus asked suddenly, his voice now laced with apprehension. “You know, his wish?”

Suddenly, the room fell into a heavy placidity. Only the sound of the blue screens flickering in front of the twins as the two dreaded in silence.

“... I’m still working on it,” Stelle finally said, breaking the long silence as she rubbed her temples. “I already feel awful for telling you to lie to User Phainon and giving him false hope that he could go home after finishing his main quests,” she then cracked her knuckles and let out a weary sigh.

“After all, it’s the only way we could repay him for everything he has done to help us rewrite this story.”

Chapter Text

It was a beautiful evening.

The sun was slowly retreating, ready to hand over its duties to the moon for the day. Somewhere in the Land of Castrum lies a place filled with moss-covered walls, some were left with massive chunks, while others were crushed into scattered debris. Some rusted dented weapons lay bare on the dirt floor. A few looked as though they’d been used recently with their blades polished enough to look presentable, albeit there were still remnants of rust still clinging stubbornly to the metal. Yet not everything was drenched in gloom as a small patch of flowers with various different colours fluttered their stems towards the direction where the wind blew.  The once energetic animals that were running aimlessly had also quieted down. Now, they all simply nestled back into their homes, waiting for nightfall to approach.

It was indeed a very beautiful evening.

… That is, if you ignore the fact that there was a boy striking ridiculous poses in the middle of this place with another boy just standing there watching the performance unfold before him.

“I, Phainon of Aedes Elysiae, call upon the sacred beings of the Titans! By the almighty chants of the ancient tomes, I incline to summon thee transilientation! The invocation of annihilation! Destruction Meteor Fireball—!” An adolescent-looking boy who declared himself as ‘Phainon of Aedes Elysiae’ declared out loud. He extended one of his hands towards the crumbled mossy walls, and the two strands that dangled on top of his snowy white hair also wavered slightly from the sudden motion.

And from that absurdly long-winded hymn, what emerged from his hand was—

Nothing. No fire. No ball. Nothing at all. Just a single breeze of air drifting by, stirring a few of Phainon’s white hair, seemingly mocking him, who had just wasted his precious breath reciting some absurdly lengthy conjuration all for that to result in nothing.

… Okay, maybe there was one thing that came out.

Standing beside Phainon was another boy who also looked to be similar in age. The boy had stunningly soft cantaloupe-blonde hair that slowly faded into a vivid red-orange at the tips, and they had watched the entire thing unfold in silence.

… Well, silent for about three seconds at least.

Now, the same boy had slowly lowered his eyelids, turned his head away, and raised a hand to his mouth. His expression remained curiously neutral… except for the suspiciously ragged sound muffled beneath his fingers that also sounded very suspiciously akin to a stifled laughter.

…

Phainon’s never going to live this down, is he?

“Mydei, don’t. Laugh.” Phainon spoke calmly, slowly turning his head like how an old creaking mechanical toy robot would, facing the boy who Phainon had revealed his name to be ‘Mydei’, who was still clearly trying and failing to suppress his laughter.

“N-no,” Mydei mumbled, his brows knitted closer, “I–pfft, no. I’m not la-laughing,” his lower eyelids were also visibly twitching. “No, snrkk, no—I’m not,” he insisted, though his shaky breaths and trembling body said otherwise.

Phainon inhaled deeply and exhaled acutely. “Mydei,” he smiled warmly. “My dear crown prince who’s also my very best friend,” he said, his own lower eyelids were also visibly twitching, but it wasn’t anything like Mydei’s, no. “You are clearly laughing,” It was quite the opposite instead.

“I–puh, I don’t know what y-you’re talking about,” Mydei, the crown prince, stammered even more as he turned his entire shaking body fully away, avoiding Phainon’s totally-not-meancing smile. “I’m, pfft ha—ha, I’m not laughing,” he spoke between staggered breaths that totally did not sound like a laugh, doubling over slightly as one hand clutched his stomach as another strained snort came out.

Phainon stared at the crown prince who claimed not to be laughing, “Is that so?” He asked, his tone perfectly even. “Then why do I suddenly feel the overwhelming urge to grab one of those spears off the ground and aim it directly at your head?” He slowly made his way to the shaking crown prince and patted his shoulder very gently.

And there it was, Mydei finally caved in and laughed, “Pfft—hahaha!” The crown prince threw his head back, fully arched backwards as another wave of laughter soon erupted from his chest. Both of his hands were clutched onto his stomach, his body shaking hard from his laughter.

…

Yep, Phainon’s never going to live this down at all.

“Mydei, I’m serious!” Phainon huffed disgruntledly. “Stop laughing, please…” He shook the frenzied crown prince’s shoulder, causing the crown prince’s body to jostle slightly as he continued to cackle like the menace he is.

“No—cause!” Mydei wheezed between his fits of laughter, pulling one hand from his stomach to point at Phainon, shakingly as well. “What made you think reciting a witless one-liner from a random fiction storybook I threw at you earlier would work?!” The crown prince laughed even harder, almost sounding like he was moments away from collapsing thanks to a lack of air.

Giving up, Phainon slumped down onto the dirty ground, staring at the sunburnt orange sky. “I’ve been trying for hours now, Mydei,” he groaned, voice full of misery. “Hours, Mydei!” He whined, flailing his arms like a tantrum-prone child denied of his favorite candy. “I can’t cast magic like you, no matter what I do!”

Phainon wasn’t exaggerating on purpose, and Aeons does he wish he was. He had genuinely spent the entire afternoon stumbling around this abandoned training ground with the crown prince in a feeble attempt to learn how to unleash magic.

Mydei finally halted his laughter, though his breath still remained a little ragged. He bent down slightly, lowering himself until he was face-to-face with Phainon, his long frizzy mane tumbling forward like a curtain. “Let me ask you one more time,” he said, his voice a bit hoarse thanks to his earlier laughing montage. “Are you absolutely sure you have mana in your body?” He asked, placing both his hands on his hips.

“Yes, I’m absolutely sure!” Phainon frowned at the question. “I’ve even thoroughly gone through a checking procedure with Lady Hyacine a few days ago before I came running to find you today!” He lied, kind of.

It technically wasn’t a lie, since Phainon did indeed go to find Lady Hyacine for a quick check-up. But what he didn’t mention to Mydei was that he consulted his oh-so-trusty reliable personal assistant, the pink glittery menace of a rabbit, Mem, first before making his way to Lady Hyacine.

The events of the day played out roughly as follows—

Phainon had just been minding his own business, going through the daily routine he’d crafted after living in this story for a few years now. His daily routine consisted of something like this:

First, wake up with an aching body, most likely courtesy of his excuse for a ‘bed’.

Second, drag said aching body to the training grounds for his daily performance of ‘What New Torture Method Has My Totally-Mature Coach Devised Specifically for Me Today?’

Third, survive that entire ordeal. Barely.

Fourth, endure the coach’s inevitable meltdown over how he managed to survive all of that live on camera, except he himself is the camera.

Fifth, spend time with one of his few friends to strengthen their bond and alliance to secure his future safety.

And last but not least, drop by the royal library-turned hangout spot to bothe—bond with the crown prince.

And yeah, that’s sort of basically it. Pretty mundane if Phainon does say so himself.

… Except it wasn’t.

There was one part of Phainon’s routine he didn’t mention, one that he absolutely hated with every fiber of his being but he had to for the sake of returning back home.

And that is completing his main quests which get more and more absurd as time goes on.

Remember when Phainon mentioned his body was aching when he woke up? Yeah, aside from his ‘bed’, you can thank the main quests for that, ninety percent of the time anyway.

“Ninty-eight…” Phainon gasped, legs burning as he tore through the damp patch of grass circling the royal garden in the dead of night. The cool night breeze also didn’t help much, his body was soaked with sweat, his white robes clinging uncomfortably to his skin, almost making it see-through too.

“Nine—ty… nine…” Phainon’s breath hitched, his voice coming out as ragged gasps instead of coherent words. His legs twitched with each step, visibly on the verge of giving out soon.

Despite all of that, Phainon still didn’t. His eyes were half-focused on the dark path ahead, the other half glued to the glowing screen floating in front of him—that being his system’s interface.

[#MAIN QUEST#]

QUEST: RUN 100 KILOMETRES

TIME LIMIT: 23 HOURS

REWARD: 5 COINS

PROGRESS: [99%] INCOMPLETE

“Come—huff—on, just—hah—get to—puff… one hun—dred already…!” (Come on, just get to one hundred already!) Phainon lamented, still forcing his legs through the endless greenery as he prayed he didn’t need to run an extra lap.

Unfortunately, Phainon needed to run an extra lap. An extra three laps actually.

Then, the familiar ding echoed faintly, chiming in his ears, signaling the completion of his new quest. But Phainon didn’t claim his reward immediately, he instead collapsed his entire body down into the grass he’d just run laps with, “Final—ly!” He wheezed, voice cracking as he lay there, drenched in sweat and feeling completely spent. His blurry gaze drifted up to the moon glowing brightly from above, with twinkling stars flickering one by one lazily beside each other.

But then, just as Phainon allowed himself to breathe, he suddenly felt a strange exhilarating feeling surging inside of his body. Weirdly enough, he felt as if he had experienced this strange kind of sensation before, but he could not recall when.

At first, Phainon didn’t seem to care all that much, dismissing it as thought it was his body undergoing puberty since he does look to be at that age already. But the longer he ignored this weird tingle that was slowly threading through his body, the longer he felt uncomfortable by it.

“What the hell…” Phainon mumbled as his body shifted restlessly on the grass. “Aeons, can’t even let a guy rest after all that torture? Seriously?” He cursed under his breath.

The weird feeling inside Phainon’s body was getting increasingly difficult to overlook, so he lunged himself upright to inspect his own body. He looked at his arms, his torso, his legs, and his back, there wasn’t anything out of the sorts, it looked fine to him! So why the hell was this strange feeling still bothering him and intensifying as seconds passed?

And as if right on cue, self-proclaimed most trusty, most reliable, most helpful personal assistant Mem suddenly decided to pop out… right behind Phainon, almost scaring him momentarily. “Congratulations on completing your one-hundred-kilometre marathon!” The fluffy menace perched behind—which resulted in him nabbing its fluffy face as retaliation.

“Mmmphm—?!” Mem squeaked out while attacking its tiny paws in an attempt to pry Phainon’s hand away from its smooshed face. “If you keep appearing right behind me out of nowhere,” Phainon said, still squeezing the fluffy menace’s face, ‘lightly’. “Then I will also return the favour by getting you back,” he squeezed the fluffy face even more ‘lightly’.

“Mmmph! Mmmmmph! Mmmph! Mmmmmpphm!” Mem flailed its tiny arms harder, puffing out more nonsense that Phainon cannot comprehend… not that he cares what comes out of his very trusty reliable personal assistant though. Not with his body still felt like it had been put into a blender with the maximum setting.

It was when Phainon felt a stronger burn suddenly creeping up to his body that he involuntarily released his personal assistant from his grasp. “Tsk, what the hell?!” Phainon groaned out, hand clutching the front of his robes over his heart.

Mem, rather than launching into one of its usual sarcastic quips, floated right in front of Phainon with its face latched with worry… despite the noticeable flush in its cheeks from earlier thanks to you know what. “Phainon, are you alright?!” Mem panicked, floating upwards, downwards, leftwards, and rightwards, jittering in little circles. “Ngh—I don’t know, after completing that ridiculous quest, my body started… burning?” Phainon managed to cough out a coherent sentence despite feeling as if he had jumped off into a burning ravine and burningly drowned himself.

Mem’s worries suddenly vanished upon hearing Phainon’s statement. “Wait—burning?” It asked, suddenly perking up, eyes gleaming very unnervingly. “You’re burning?” Its voice was even higher-pitched.

… Mem, what the hell? Is this how you’re supposed to react when you see a suffering person right in front of you?! That was what Phainon wanted to say. But the agitating feeling is going even wilder than before, he doesn’t have the energy to bicker with his personal assistant right now. “Ye—ah…” He mumbled, collapsing back onto the grass, his muscles aching as the strange heat pulsed even stronger than before. “Is… is my fatigue getting into me?” He wearily asked, body still throbbing as he stared at the somehow enthusiastic personal assistant floating above him.

“No, quite the opposite!” Mem said with the most lively face Phainon had ever seen from it. “Your body is growing!” Mem clapped its paws in glee.

In contrast, Phainon was not happy at the slightest, he was frowning even. “Grow—gah—what?!” He groaned in pain. His brows were furrowed tightly, cold sweat beading down from his face. It hurts so much that he instinctively pulled himself into a fetal position, hugging himself from the pain.

“The phenomenon you’re currently experiencing right now is quite normal!” Mem responded like it was another normal occurrence that had happened many times prior. “Don’t worry, I’ll explain everything to you once your body calms down,” it reassured Phainon with a smile.

So there Mem sat, wagging its fluffy tail as it gazed up at the stars, serene, content, unbothered. Meanwhile, Phainon continued to groan pitifully on the grass beside it like a man dying from being slugged by a hunter.

Several agonizing minutes and a fair share of grunts and huffs later, Phainon’s body finally relaxed from all those strange burning sensations churning inside his body. He lay still, breath shallow, body still feeling slightly heavy but at least it wasn’t burning anymore. He was half-thankful it was midnight and no one was around to see him like this. If anyone were to catch sight of him groveling in the royal garden, he would probably never hear the end of it.

“Are you finally good?” Mem asked, tilting its bunny head to face the almost-dead-looking Phainon, “Yeah,” Phainon exhaled, eyes still fixed on the sky, too drained to meet Mem’s gaze.

Mem only smiled at Phainon’s response. “So… how’d it feel?” It innocently asked a very innocent question. Phainon finally turned his head over to look at Mem, a look that screamed ‘are you being serious’. “It felt great,” he responded, but his tone wasn’t anything like what he had just said. “Never felt better, actually,” he deadpanned flatly.

“Great!” Mem chriped merrily. “Now, do you know why your body just did that?” It floated up from its sitting position and hovered over Phainon, eying him from above. “I was promised an explanation,” Phainon answered Mem dryly. “Not to play a guessing game right after my body seemingly tried to spontaneously combust itself,” he complained as he stared at the floating pink menace above him.

Mem’s cheerful expression wilted, its expression visibly dropping from Phainon’s response. “You’re no fun at all,” it glowered, ears droopy and all. “I can be fun,” Phainon smiled at his gloomy personal assistant. “Maybe just not to you,” he smirked, smirking like he hadn’t just had the most gut-wrenchingly awful receptivity happen to him moments earlier.

“You’re lucky Mem is feeling quite sympathetic today,” Mem huffed out loud. “Or else Mem would be kicking you straight off the edge of the continent,” it crossed its tiny arms in discontent.

Phainon chuckled at his personal assistant’s threat. “Oh no, I’m so scared,” he said with mock horror, hovering both of his hands out in faux surrender, playing the role of the victim. “Please spare me, oh great powerful personal assistant of mine!” He pleaded in a mocking tone.

Mem blinked slowly at Phainon’s poor act stoically without saying a word. Phainon snorted and let his arms fall, abandoning the act. “Alright alright enough of that. Seriously though, are you going to explain to me what just happened to my body?” He asked, looking half earnest and half suspicious as he propped himself back up to sit on the grassy field.

Mem cleared its throat, “Ahem, you see!” It began, mimicking the voice of some old professor teaching their class. “Your body was just was just adjusting to mana finally emitting from your nervous system!” It explained like this was the second most normal occurrence that had happened many times before.

…

Phainon blinked—multiple times.

Mana emitting from his… what?

“What does that—no…” Phainon’s words were stuck in his throat, unsure how to even ask whatever Mem had just revealed to him. “How… does that even work?” He managed eventually, still trying to wrap his head around the foreign concept. Phainon may have been an artist, but he sure as hell knows that’s not how biology was supposed to work.

“Don’t think too much of it!” Mem cut in, seemingly read Phainon’s mind and assured him. “Remember, you are currently in a fantasy story, so most real-life logic doesn’t apply here!” It declared almost compellingly.

… That. Okay. Fine. Made sense, he supposes.

Phainon simply sighed at the explanation Mem had given to him. Though he was also quite thankful that the horrible feeling from earlier wasn’t anything too serious. He gets to live to see another day! But still…

“Though why so sudden?” Phainon questioned his personal assistant. “Right after I just finished that ruthless quest too, can’t it wait until tomorrow or something?” He grumbled, lying back on the grass once more with his hands folded behind his head as a makeshift pillow underneath the grass. “And it was  so painful too!” He ranted.

“Hmm,” Mem mused with its paws crossed, pondering very hard. When Phainon saw what Mem was doing, he knew he wasn’t going to get an answer as usua—

“Mana usually forms when certain requirements are met for the user’s body,” Mem said suddenly with uncharacteristic clarity. “So Mem thinks that because of your diligent workouts recently, your body finally reached the point where mana could awaken!” It added. “As for the painful part… every user experience mana transmitting into their body differently, so Mem can’t say for sure…”

…

Well okay, that was unexpected.

“What was unexpected?” Mem asked, tilting its head curiously.

… Oh right, Mem could hear his thoughts, he totally forgot about that.

Mem blinked, “Are you going to tell Mem what was unexpected?”

No.

“…” Mem’s usual bubbly attitude immediately popped.

Phainon simply just let out a tired yawn, “Ah whatever, as long as it’s not endangering my life or anything…” he muttered as he summoned the system internally to claim his reward.

[#MAIN QUEST#]

QUEST: RUN 100 KILOMETRES

TIME LIMIT: 120 HOURS

REWARD: 5 COINS

PROGRESS: [100%] COMPLETE

>CLAIM REWARD<

*NOTE: YOU HAVE 48 HOURS TO CLAIM YOUR REWARD*

“Yeah yeah yeah, the same old note I’ve seen for years,” Phainon spouted as he flipped his hand on the giant ‘claim reward’ icon. “Just show me the next excruciating quest already…” he sighed to himself as he dreaded for his upcoming new quest.

[#MAIN QUEST#]

QUEST: UNLEASH YOUR MAGIC

TIME LIMIT: 168 HOURS

REWARD: 10 COINS

PROGRESS: INCOMPLETE

…

When Phainon said ‘excruciating’, he was merely being derisive, he didn’t mean to ask this for real now?!

Unleash your magic…? As if Phainon knows how?! Back from where he came from, magic wasn’t even a thing! Magic was something that only existed in fictional stories or games!

…

Okay fine. Technically, Phainon is in a fictional story right now, but still! Not like he knows how magic even works in the first place! Like, does he need to channel some sort of hidden energy inside of his body and yell out some hocus-pocus-malocus chant from the top of his lungs and magical particles will poof out of nowhere?

…

Can Phainon skip the entire hocus-pocus-malocus chant part? It sounds ridiculous even in his own monologues.

…

Actually, now that Phainon thinks about it, why the hell were most of his recent quests all somehow correlated to his body? From one hundred push-ups, to one hundred sit-ups, to one hundred squats, and lastly, to a one-hundred-kilometre run. What the actual heck were all of those even about?! Was there some sort of theme going on that Phainon wasn’t aware of?!

…

Sure, those absurd quests did come with some benefits, his body was undeniably getting stronger and healthier over time. So Phainon couldn’t really complain, but that’s not the point here!

The point being, instead of torturing his body physically, now it's torturing his body mentally for some odd reason!

…

Phainon isn’t even sure himself if he’s being honest. Like, does unleashing magic in this particular story that he was stuck in require taking all of his mental energy?

Because basing back on the many stories Phainon had once read before where the world revolves around magic, the rules varied wildly.

In some, characters just needed a catalyst and a decent mana pool and then boom—magic.

In others? They’d basically have to sacrifice a limb, or a portion of their lifespan, or their entire will to live—only for the result to be just being able to conjure up a single sad sparkle.

…

Can it not be the second one? Please…?

“Mem,” Phainon called out to his most reliable personal assistant. “How do I even cast magic in this world?” He asked, a rather straightforward question. So naturally, he also expected a rather straightforward answer from his most reliable personal assistant.

Mem, living up to its title of being the most reliable personal assistant that it is, gave Phainon this very definitive, totally useful, vastly valuable explanation of an answer that blew Phainon’s mind into many pieces.

“Mem, doesn’t know, but one of your close friends might!”

… Blew Phainon’s mind into many pieces thanks to how utterly useless the answer was, that is.

Safe to say, Phainon responded in the most reasonable way possible—by flinging one of his shoes directly at Mem’s face.

In return, Mem unleashed one of its signature moves—squawking at him before vanishing into a cloud of pink glittery nonsense, and leaving Phainon alone to figure out how the hell he was supposed to complete yet another nonsensical quest.

Yeah, that basically summed up Phainon’s daily life living in this novel. And also summed up why he was currently making an absolute fool of himself by striking ridiculous poses in front of his best friend, the crown prince, in the abandoned training ground-turned second hangout spot.

“... Maybe you should get a second check-up?” Mydei suggested as he struck a thinking pose. No, it wasn’t anything like those overly dramatic-looking thinking poses, just an ordinary one. “Perhaps Miss Hyacine might’ve been… sorely mistaken…?”

…

Phainon would’ve believed Mydei if he hadn’t endured the agonizing experience of mana flooding into his body like molten fire. Live in person.

…

Not like Mydei needs to know if Phainon’s being honest, he had no desire to make the crown prince worry more than he already did. After all, this was the same person who, during one of Phainon’s more ridiculous quests—specifically the one where he had to sneak into the kitchen at midnight to steal fresh bread—caught him red-handed. Instead of ratting him out, Mydei had accepted Phainon’s made-up excuse about being starved by their manchild of a coach’s vigorous training. Without a word, Mydei immediately shoved him way more bread into his hand than he initially needed for the quest.

Better to keep quiet about the whole ‘mana pain’ thing, he supposed.

“Mydei—” Phainon drawled out the crown prince’s name with a frown. “Do you not believe me? Your best friend?” He glowered stirringly at the crown prince with a wounded expression. If one were to witness his expression like this, they might’ve even mistaken him as an oversized puppy.

Mydei blinked, very caught off guard, with a faint flush creeping up his cheeks as he straightened up. “N-no, I believe you!” He stammered as he turned his face away to avoid eye contact with Phainon. “J-just that, like you previously stated, you’ve been trying for hours now,” he stated the obvious, shifting his body uncomfortably. “Either your body lacks mana or…” he paused momentarily, which left Phainon standing—er… lying? In the middle of an invisible limbo between curious and confused.

“Or what?” Phainon asked as he stood up, patting away the dust off from his robes. “Are you saying there’s something wrong with my mana?” He attempted to guess, staring at the crown prince, whose expression had changed drastically from before. He looked… quite serious?

Before Phainon could press further, Mydei stepped forward and took his hand without warning, gently pressing his thumb against Phainon’s wrist.

“... May I ask what exactly you’re currently doing to my hand, your highness?” Phainon quipped, tone teasing albeit standing on the confused side of the limbo. Mydei clicked his tongue in annoyance, not bothering to look up. “Just shut up and let me take a look at something…” he said, eyes laser-focused on Phainon’s hand for some odd reason. “... And drop the title, it sounds embarrassing when it comes out of that mouth of yours,” he added quietly, his thumbs still pressing inwards and outwards into his wrist as if he was trying to read his pulse… or something?

But what really caught Phainon’s attention wasn’t the weird examination that the crown prince was doing, it was the latter instead. “Wow,” Phainon gasped, clutching his free hand dramatically to his chest like a wronged noblewoman in a third-rate romcom. “Here I am offering my utmost respect to the noble crown prince Mydeimos, yet what I get in return is the same crown prince dismissing poor little me so heartlessly?”

Mydei didn’t dignify that with a response. Instead, his thumb pressed harder into Phainon’s wrist, conveying a silent yet painfully clear message telling him to stop this nonsense.

It comes as no surprise that Phainon winced at the sudden hardened press. “Ah—ywoch ouch ouch ouch! Mydei, that was a joke, a joke!” He recoiled, trying to flail the crown prince’s press away from his wrist as he explained himself. Though his efforts were unfortunately futile as the crown prince’s press just tightened even more from that. “I won’t call you ‘your highness’ anymore! I was wrong! It hurts!” He squirmed, even throwing out a promise as his last resort since the crown prince’s press was genuinely hurting his hand.

Mydei stared blankly at Phainon for a few seconds before his firm press on Phainon’s wrist loosened. “Hm,” he hummed, giving Phainon’s hand one last glimpse before releasing it entirely. “There really is nothing wrong with your body…” He thought out loud, making Phainon walk back to the middle of the invisible limbo between curious and confused once again.

Phainon turned to his newly freed hand to inspect it himself. The more he twisted and turned his hand to see nothing was wrong, the more he walked back towards to the limbo of confusion once more. Eventually, Phainon gave up, “What were you doing with my hand then?” He finally asked the crown prince after a few more twists and turns.

Mydei’s brows were furrowed deeply, as if still lost in his mind. “I was trying to feel your mana,” he responded to Phainon’s question while still looking like he was still deep in thought. “But it seems that your mana was flowing smoothly just fine, so why…?” His brows furrowed even deeper, and even wrinkles were starting to show on his forehead.

Most people upon hearing such a cryptic conclusion, would probably want to know more. But not Phainon though, he focused on something else entirely… again.

“See, I wasn’t lying when I said I have mana!” Phainon declared with triumph. “Now do you believe me?” He gave the crown prince a playful nudge against his shoulder.

Mydei stared at Phainon, but this time it wasn’t a blank look like what he usually does, it was a look of utter bafflement. “I never said I didn’t believe you in the first place…” he sighed as he watched Phainon radiate a satisfyingly smug smile like he had just won an argument he created himself.

“Okay but,” Phainon finally stopped the playful nudges against the crown prince. “What were you thinking about back when you tried to feel my mana, genuinely?” He asked, aside from that petty one-sided conjecture, he was veritably curious about what Mydei was thinking.

Mydei raised his hand out, conjuring a sharp glowing red diamond-shaped crystal that shimmered into shape on his palm. “Normally, casting basic magic like this should be possible for any child over five—this is assuming their mana began developing early,” he said, the red crystal pulsing even brighter in his palm. “But there were rare cases where even if the person had mana flowing within them, something inside the inner depths of their body might be preventing them from manifesting it,” he added, the red crystal beginning to glow brighter and darker. “Chronic conditions. Mental instability. Curses. These are usually the main factors on why they can’t cast magic like others,” he ended the explanation with his hands crushing the red crystal, shattering it into a fine dust that slipped through his fingers.

Phainon stared at the red shimmer fading into the air, his earlier grin slowly fading as Mydei’s words settled in. What Mydei had just revealed to him made Phainon think for a moment.

Chronic conditions. Yeah, when Phainon had first possessed the body of Phainon the character, his body was exceptionally weak. It was so weak that he always felt like he could die within a moment’s notice just after doing regular things that ordinary people could do. It also didn’t help much when most of his quests were all seemingly trying to kill him as well. Heck, he still shudders thinking about the time when he was forced to climb that fifty-meter tower for a quest. Definitely not an experience he wants to relive. But other than that, his body had been getting stronger. Strong enough for mana to start forming. So… it probably wasn’t that.

Mental instability. Phainon also doesn’t think it’s that either… if you exclude all of the ‘minor’ mental turmoil he has personally gone through thanks to his absurd quests and the constant stress of trying his hardest to stay alive amidst all the disadvantages thrown at him.

So that leaves the last thing Mydei had mentioned—curses.

“... Do you think I’m cursed, Mydei?” Phainon asked, his eyes narrowed as he mentally flipped through every memory he had since ending up in this novel world.

Even after many assessments, Phainon doesn’t think he warranted himself getting hated to the point of them cursing him now… okay, maybe there were a few people. The coach and the other bootlicking trainees. But he doesn’t think they are smart enough to cast curses at all… the shade was very much intentional and needed thank you very much. Because really, if they were able to curse him, then they would’ve done so a long time ago instead of relying on underhanded schemes like this.

Then, did the original Phainon got cursed before he arrived…? Ah, the disadvantages of not knowing the contents of the novel are getting onto him once again!

“No, I don’t think so,” Mydei answered Phainon’s question, cutting him out of his thoughts. “Like I said, I could still feel mana flowing just fine,” he reached for Phainon’s wrist again, inspecting it as if to confirm. “So I really doubt that, besides I—”

Before Mydei could continue his statement, a faint crunching noise interrupted him. That noise sounded like… footsteps? Approaching from somewhere nearby. Two sets of them, actually. One sounded like regular boots on dirt. The other sounded like metal clinking softly against another metal.

Instantly alerted, Mydei immediately grabbed Phainon’s hand and yanked him aside, sprinting toward one of the few remaining crumbling stone walls that were still tall enough for the two of them to hide.

“Wait Mydei what are y—“ Phainon was about to ask what the crown prince was doing, only to be shut off by him the next second. “Shh, be quiet,” Mydei hissed, pressing a hand firmly over Phainon’s mouth. His other hand made a quick shushing gesture, then he gently removed his palm away, leaving the both of them in tense silence.

Hidden behind the collapsed stone wall, Phainon’s heart pounded with confusion while Mydei remained deadly still, eyes narrowed as he peeked around the edge of the wall to observe.

The sounds of footsteps were gradually getting louder and louder.

“What are you looking at?” Phainon whispered, mimicking Mydei’s posture and craning his neck to look just right below the crown prince. The crown prince didn’t bother replying to his question, eyes still peering intently around the abandoned training ground where they once resided.

Then, the footsteps suddenly came to a halt. Peering past the wall, Phainon recognized two figures, one of whom that was very familiar to him.

It was his man-child of a coach and someone dressed entirely in full golden armour with his helmet off, giving him the vibes of someone who’s authoritative. Ah, no wonder Phainon heard metal sounds.

“There shouldn’t be anyone here,” his coach began the conversation, their voice was how Phainon remembered it, pompous and arrogant. “Are you certain? What we are about to discuss should be off-limits to everyone, and I mean everyone, we certainly don’t want those few troublesome lots to interfere,” the person clad in armour said, their voice sounding more firm and stern, opposite from his coach.

… Off-limits? Oh dear, what kind of top-secret possibly dangerous conversation required them to sneak into this ‘abandoned’ training ground just to not be pried by seeing eyes? Phainon stiffened slightly, instinct screaming at him that he probably shouldn’t be eavesdropping. Yet, he kept watching regardless.

“Ha—I doubt!” The coach barked with a smug grin. “This place’s been long gone that even wild critters are inhabiting here!” He gestured broadly at the scattered animals lounging around peacefully in their respective homes.

The person clad in armour didn’t share his amusement, “Oh really?” They sneered, jabbing a finger in the opposite direction from the coach. “Then explain that.” The coach’s eyes followed the pointing finger and landed on a small well-tended patch of vibrant flowers fluttering on the side. “Huh?” The coach blurted in incredulity. “Someone from the royal castle must’ve been here recently!” They concluded.

…

Oh.

…

Those were the flowers Phainon had to plant thanks to an old quest of his.

…

Those were the same flowers Phainon had planted with Mydei and had taken care of with him and occasionally argued over when one of them forgot to do their share.

“Long gone, hm?” The person clad in armour teased, an eyebrow raised as he looked at the coach like he’d just exposed himself as a fool. “I–I’ll do a quick sweep around this area!” The coach stammered, seemingly rattled too. He unseathed a small dagger from his belt and began to stalk forward, eyes darting everywhere as he maneuvered around the place.

…

Phainon’s breath hitched. His corpse might be out in the open for nobody to see sooner than he expected.

The moment the two of them overheard that suspicious exchange, they both instinctively ducked back behind the crumbling wall.

Phainon’s eyes were wide, both hands clamped tightly over his mouth as he tried to stifle every breath as well as trying his absolute best not to mutter a single word. Panic simmered through his skin, blood running cold even. Worst of all, he didn’t really know what to do in a situation like this.

The crown prince on the other hand, seemed to be… poised? Yes, his eyes were also wide like Phainon’s but the vibes he’s giving off were… calm and collected, very much the reverse of what Phainon is giving out.

Of course, Phainon thought bitterly. Even now, he looks cool under all that pressure. Truly befitting of the crown prince title.

Then, came the sound of more footsteps.

…

Feeling the shreds of anxiety, Phainon couldn’t help but dread. Dreading at the possibility that they could be found out by his coach at any given moment. Dreading at the possibility that this was also one of the ways how the original Phainon died. Dreading at the possibility that he couldn’t see his beloved sister, Cyrene, anymore without even saying goodbye.

Crunch. The footsteps were getting louder.

…

Phainon could feel it now—his body was quivering. The soft grinding of shoes over loose dirt echoed louder and louder in his ears, each step felt like his death toll counting down.

The footsteps were drawing closer, way closer to Phainon’s liking.

…

Is this how he’s going to die…? Thanks to the stupid patch of flowers…?

There was a sudden swish. The sound of foliage being pushed aside and the light snap of old vines falling to the dirt.

…

Ah, if only he could become like Mydei, who still looked so composed after all of whatever just happened, like they weren’t hiding from their potential death behind a crumbling wall. Seriously, how does he do that…?

Subconsciously, Phainon was making all sorts of faces. eyebrows twitching, lips thinning, eyes darting frantically. His face was a theater of every anxious emotion imaginable. In the chaos of his thoughts, he was already concocting half-baked escape plans, trying to map out how to drag both himself and Mydei out of this place without making a sound to alert the coach nearby.

Then—he felt it.

A light pressure on his shoulder.