Chapter 4: Kind and Cruel (4)
After traveling the long distance from the Green family’s mansion to Abel’s Heilon castle, I finally managed to get a thorough sleep. Two days had passed since that incident and my first meeting with Abel and Jeron, and I had fully recovered from my exhaustion. Read the translation only on itsladygrey.com.
Coincidentally, or perhaps not, the moment I woke up, Abel summoned me.
“Kid, now’s your chance. Time to prove what you said here. Of course, you weren’t bluffing, right?”
Early in the morning, with light shining in through the colorful frosted panels, I found Abel glaring at me condescendingly from the side of the hall. This man seemed never to sleep. The moment he saw me, he arrogantly addressed me, though contrary to my interpretation, I’m sure thousands of women would fall for him upon hearing his voice. Unfortunately, that distaste was directed at me.
However, despite Abel being a character I had personally created, his words had no effect on me. Moreover, the more I observed him, I noticed that except for his face, there really wasn’t much to admire. Especially that personality of his… ah, why did I create such a man? Read the translation only on itsladygrey.com.
Barely able to hold back a yawn, I uttered a single statement of compliance. “I understand.” Fiona’s body was still young. Needless to say, after waking up so early, and despite getting enough sleep, she was still quite groggy. Anyway, who wouldn’t want more sleep? I shot a quick contemptuous glance at Abel before looking back down at my feet. The sun, barely risen, emitted the first of its warm rays through the glass panes. I stepped into a diamond-shaped pool of light on the floor. How pretty. Even without looking up, one could tell how elaborately adorned and elegant the building was; everything was of the highest quality, even the floorboards.
Seeing me looking so relaxed, Abel laughed. “Aren’t you afraid?”
Hearing his mocking tone, I unenthusiastically answered back, “Even if I was, what good would it do to be scared?”
To be honest, I was not worried in the slightest. Although I had once lived in the scientific era of the 21st century, which afforded me the most comfortable and convenient lifestyle, and was then thrown into this medieval fantastical world, I knew Fiona’s future. That knowledge was my trump card. Despite the absence of technology—the internet—I had a cheat no other person in this world had. And, as the author, I was omnipresently able to navigate this world. Read the translation only on itsladygrey.com.
If I were to be afraid… well, given my current situation, that was not an option at all.
“Just so you know, for reference, I will go with you. However, it is not my duty to protect you. Your death is not my responsibility. You understand what I’m saying, right, kid? That means you could die.”
Abel’s eyes glimmered as he spoke, seemingly out of concern, but I could detect the sarcasm and mockery hidden beneath. Did he really want to scare me that badly? In the back of my mind, I pictured him as a tiger, laughing down at prey captured by a cub, yet unwilling to help at all.
I was still a child—was he seriously that incapable of talking nicely to a little kid?
“It doesn’t matter. I am not afraid of death; of dying.” I replied calmly. I finally looked up at Abel, and our eyes met. I stared straight into his swirling blue irises that lacked the mirth his smiling lips displayed. Read the translation only on itsladygrey.com.
In all honesty, it was not a bluff—what I was saying. I truly meant it. Moreover, how could I be scared when I knew this was the outcome upon arriving? I came, knowing that I could potentially meet an early death, but also an opportunity to change my fate. I came alone, and despite that, I never once expected to be protected in the first place.
As a matter of fact, what was worse to me than death was a future void of hope. One that followed the course of the original novel precisely. No hopes, no dreams—a pointless life. Even death would be more welcome than that. So of course, I wouldn’t fear it.
Well, even though I had no intention of going into battle and being torn apart by those monsters, handing them the end of my life on a silver platter, I would rather keep my eternal sanity. If my fate ended up being that kind of cruel ending, surely it would be better to die now. I’d rather do that than let my soul suffer in an endless cycle of torment, right?
In addition, the positive aspect of being knowledgeable about my future was that I need not fear the present. Yes, what could possibly be worse than experiencing such a pitiful childhood, living such a miserable life, and then meeting such a horrific end?
At times, the thought of the events Fiona experienced in her life would flash through my mind. Whenever that happened, I felt like sobbing out my woes. Why did I, out of everyone else, have to possess Fiona’s body in the world I had created? Not even as the heroine—I wasn’t asking to be her, but just anyone except Fiona. A cannon fodder character would have been ten times better. I sighed, thinking about that.
“….”
Having been lost in mixed thoughts, I realized that I was surrounded by silence. Not only Abel but also Jeron looked at me with strange expressions. Read the translation only on itsladygrey.com.
“W-why? Why are you staring at me like that? Is there something on me?” I stuttered, confused and slightly unsettled by their pitying gazes.
Suddenly, Abel gently placed his hand on my head. “I see. I’m sorry, kid.”
“What?” I glanced up, startled by the sudden contact.
“Personally, it’s always amusing to see someone struggle to live. Their wills get extinguished by my words, like a flame in the wind. But you… your reaction, it’s boring. Hmm, the entertainment I thought you would give me—no fun at all.”
Abel patted my head as he said those strange words. It was not fitting at all for a character like him in the slightest! Read the translation only on itsladygrey.com.
“….”
After hearing that remark, I could hear Jeron audibly sighing behind him. I relented. My feelings were the same as Jeron’s. This man… really, he considered everything a game, and he stood above it all. He had everything: status, power, wealth.
I breathed in deeply and looked up through the window. The blue ocean above was cloudless, the curvature of the spires in the distance like tides painted against the sky. Mixed feelings of relief and resignation settled in me.
Why did a human with such a personality like this exist in this world?
Hang on a sec… come to think of it, this is the world of fiction that I had personally written. Does that not mean that I contributed to creating this person? Read the translation only on itsladygrey.com.
…Damn it.
***
DING! DING! DING!
Could my fortune become any worse? The moment I arrived at the second wall, accompanied by Abel, a loud bell pealed. The echo of brass could be heard from miles away, traveling through the air to alert all those involved in protecting humankind to prepare. It was an announcement and a warning. The monsters were coming.
“…You must be kidding me.”
A low whisper of shock and exhaustion escaped my mouth before I could take back those words. I realized, unfortunately, there was no time for me to rest after the rough, long journey to the second wall.
Abel cunningly smirked at me. His smile was absolutely vicious. At that moment, I doubted anyone could appear as wicked as him. But… he seemed to be having… fun?
Seriously, his expression was really unfitting and inappropriate at this time. There were monsters in his estate, yet… he had time to smile like that? Was a situation like this supposed to be taken lightly, like a game? Read the translation only on itsladygrey.com.
“Do you not think that this is perfect timing? It’s just the right time, kid.” In contrast to his facial expression, which irked me greatly, Abel continued in a relatively neat tone. “Let’s see how worthy you are.”
I see. So, was his plan all along to throw me into the middle of the pool of monsters wreaking havoc right now? Those ghastly creatures with faces of demons. Anyone would shiver upon hearing about them and faint at the mere sight of them. Yet this man really wanted to chuck me into the scene without waiting. It appeared as if I were a sacrificial lamb, an appetizer to sate their growing hunger and keep the monsters occupied for a while, in Abel’s eyes.
Well. Challenge accepted. I definitely will not lose.
Fortunately, like most mages in the fantasy genre, in this world, mages needed only to attack the monsters from a distance to make critical hits. It was a relief, therefore, knowing that we did not have to go to the front lines of the battle and meet the beasts where they were gathering in order to prevent their strike.
What should I do to impress him with my usefulness in this situation?
Since this was my first time here, I needed to figure out what the battlefield’s range looked like. Without knowing the terrain, it was hard to navigate. I had described it in writing, but seeing it with my own eyes was different. So I thought the best way was to ascend the dusted limestone, allowing myself to gain a better view of the battlefield.
From my surroundings, I observed what would be the best possible method and noticed a rustic-looking staircase leading to the high wall. Read the translation only on itsladygrey.com.
“Abel, I’ll ascend the wall. It’ll allow me to observe the range better.”
Walking as fast as I could was exhausting, especially in this small child’s body. Despite the fatigue, I forced my short legs to keep up the pace and climb the immense, blocky stairs. They looked as though they could collapse at any moment from their age. No one would dare to maintain them. The stairs seemed endless, and I soon began panting heavily.
Behind me, Abel followed smoothly, not even slightly out of breath. It seemed he was intent on keeping an eye on me. After all, why go through the trouble—although it didn’t seem like trouble for him—of following me and not leaving?
“Haahh…” I gasped, taking a huge gulp of the cool air as I finally reached the top of the high wall. At this altitude, the air was thin, crisp, and clean, making it a little difficult to breathe.
After catching my breath and steadying myself, I looked down at the battlefield. It was filled with monsters, some of which were several times larger than an adult. I saw soldiers slay them with swords while others wielded torches, setting the creatures ablaze to prevent their regeneration. That explained the burning stench I’d noticed earlier. Then, something red flying in the air caught my eye. Read the translation only on itsladygrey.com.
What the hell is that red thing flying in the air? I muttered, puzzled.
But the most striking thing was the screams and hoarse cries for help, for a savior, echoing from all directions. I watched as countless soldiers died in the process of slaying the monsters. The massacre the soldiers were attempting against the monsters was turning into their own slaughter.
People were being torn apart by the creatures—some losing their arms, others their legs, and some with gaping holes in their stomachs. The ground was littered with unidentifiable human body parts. Yet, the brutal fighting continued as if those lives were no more significant than ants, easily crushed and forgotten. Read the translation only on itsladygrey.com.
From my vantage point, I also saw a soldier being grabbed by a giant and smashed into the ground. The details were unclear, but I could guess that the soldier had been crushed by the monster’s immense strength.
Suddenly, Abel’s voice rang in my ears. “Kid, how do you feel seeing the battlefield for the first time? It’s the worst, isn’t it?” Read the translation only on itsladygrey.com.
No, this battlefield wasn’t the worst. The one who created this scene was the worst. It was me.
I am the worst.
Check out my Patreon to read advanced chapters!
