Chapter 374

50 years? What the hell was that all about?

As my vision grew blurrier, I caught the smile floating up on the Warrior Monk’s lips .

– Oh, dear Bodhisattva . Please, try to endure time itself .

[Transfer to the Main Island has begun!]

[‘Wall that Decides Samsara’ is investigating information of your Fables!]

[Investigation has concluded!]

[The scenario location for you and your comrades has been decided . ]

This was the very last message I heard before losing my consciousness .

[Sub-scenario, ‘Genre Selection’, has begun!]

*

Ricardo stared into the pitch-black liquid filling up his transparent cup and recalled the memories of the distant past .

⸢”Even if you train for 50 years, it’ll be difficult for you to become a royal court mage . “⸥

That was back when he first started learning magic .

⸢”You don’t seem to possess the suitable constitution to become a scholar . “⸥

That was when the number one scholar in the Kaixenix Archipelago came to tutor him .

⸢”Your hands are not suited to holding a sword . “⸥

And that was back when he grabbed a sword for the first time in the royal swordsmanship training grounds .

⸢”Some lives are like that . What’s important is to never fall into despair and continue to strive forward, son . “⸥

Ricardo’s father, Verchen Von Kaixenix, said those words .

That couldn’t console him, though . A man who had no talent nor desire to do anything wouldn’t be consoled after hearing those words, anyway .

Even with no talent, he should strive forward regardless? What would he become if he continued to live on like that, anyway?

Ricardo drunk himself into a stupor every single day . He hung around with the archipelago’s worst hooligans and did drugs . He even became addicted to gambling and squandered away the fortunes of his family, too .

He even fell in love . Once upon a time .

She was older, and the most beautiful woman in the entire archipelago . Unfortunately, even that had to end after she married his oldest brother .

Ricardo stared at that black liquid and muttered to himself .

“I’ll just kill myself . “

That resolution was the first time he swallowed the brave pill in his life .

He lightly grasped the cup, and as if drinking wine, he emptied its contents in one go . Its effect manifested itself not too long afterwards . His complexion became dark and lifeless, and his arms faltered to the side with no energy .

And exactly four hours later .

Someone else opened his eyes in Ricardo’s body .

*

Besides ‘Ways of Survival’, I had read quite a few other stories . When I was young, I read those great works of literature my mother recommended, and after I grew up a bit, I began selecting books on my own volition to read .

As an aside, the very first web-novel I read began with its protagonist harping on about his misfortune while dying before waking back up again .

Just like now .

“Blergh . . . . . !”

“Your highness! Prince Ricardo! Are you alright, my lord?”

Someone was patting me on the back, and I vomited out the contents of my stomach for a long time .

I wiped my mouth and raised my head only to discover a mirror . The handsome face reflected in it was pale and charmingly attractive .

… . It was definitely my face, but something felt unfamiliar about it .

Who was I?

… . Ricardo . . . . ?

⸢”You probably know this already, but I’m not a prophet . No, I am as far removed from such a being as you can get . “⸥

I am… .

⸢”I’m not the ‘Demon King of Salvation’ . I’m also not the ‘King of a Kingless World’ . “⸥

I am . . . . ?

⸢”Twenty-eight . . . . No, wait . I was twenty-eight, and I was an employee of a game company . My hobby was reading web-novels . . . . “⸥

[Your Fables are resisting against the Great Fable that sets this world’s view!]

[Exclusive skill, ‘The 4th Wall’, is strongly activating!]

I slowly closed my eyes before opening them again, and was immediately overcome with the sensation of the world separating itself from me .

[‘The 4th Wall’ has impeded your character immersion . ]

[Due to the effect of ‘The 4th Wall’, your ego has been fully retained . ]

[Probability of the Island is suspicious of your preferential treatment . ]

I was greeted by the feelings of an unfamiliar body . This one didn’t belong to me .

⸢I am Kim Dok-Ja . ⸥

My consciousness returned to me in full, and the chain of memories was organised in an instant . I was participating in the ‘Great War of Saints and Demons’ scenario, and had just entered the Main Island .

It was awash with the various spectrum of 3rd generation Fables . Different Fables created different genres of worldviews, and the one right in front of my eyes was… .

” . . . . . Body possession . “

Tsu-chuchuchuchut!

[A term not aligned with the worldview has been spoken!]

[Penalty will be imposed!]

By the time I woke up again, two hours would have passed by .

*

“Your highness, are you feeling alright?”

Someone was calling out to me from beyond my hazy view .

” . . . . Please, may I have some water?”

[You have used language not in line with the worldview!]

[Penalty will . . . . ]

” . . . . Hand me some water . “

“Here it is . “

After drinking large gulps of cold water, I felt my reasoning return bit by bit . My head was in a mess as the memories of someone else rushed in . I was now occupying the body of a man who had already lived for over 30 years .

⸢In certain areas on the ‘Main Island’, words that don’t align with the applicable worldview will be prohibited from being spoken . ⸥

I could just about remember some stuff from the ‘Ways of Survival’ . Although this particular turn barely got a passing mention, the novel definitely did feature a scenario such as this one .

The so-called ‘Possession scenario’ .

I’d be advancing the scenario ‘Great War of Saints and Demons’ from this person’s perspective from here onwards .

[It is impossible to summon a Dokkaebi when in the applicable area . ]

[You are unable to receive indirect messages from the Constellations when in the applicable area . ]

… . Not only that, strange restrictions were in place, too . This was a different development from the ‘Great War of Saints and Demons’ that I knew of .

” . . . . Looks like I’ll have to collect information first . “

[You have performed actions befitting the personality of the host body . ]

[Your understanding of the applicable host body is increasing . ]

Straight away, I began rummaging through the memories from the ‘Ways of Survival’ .

⸢The Kaixenix Archipelago, the isle of heroes that led the Age of Saints and Demons . ⸥

I couldn’t really recall any particularly useful information . Why did it have to be an area that didn’t get much of a mention in the ‘Ways of Survival’?

But, it didn’t feel like a completely foreign place to me, though… .

Was that because of the memories of the person I had possessed overflowing into me?

[Exclusive skill, ‘Character List’, has been activated!]

Now originally, I couldn’t see my Attribute Window . However, if it was the one belonging to the host body that I took over, then… .

+

Name: Ricardo Von Kaixenix (Kim Dok-Ja)

Age: 31

Constellation Support: None (Currently, ‘1’ Constellation has shown interest . )

Exclusive Attribute: A Gifted Hoodlum

Exclusive Skills: [Royalty’s Outer Appearance Lv . 3], [Soliloquy Lv . 6], [Roleplay Lv . 5]

Stigma: None

Overall Stats: [Physique Lv . 10], [Strength Lv . 10], [Agility Lv . 10], [Magic Power Lv . 10]

Overall Rating: The person you have taken over is the 4th Prince of the Kaixenix Archipelago . Unfortunately, he lacks talent in all types of combat abilities, including swordsmanship, magic, etc .

* Currently afflicted by Abnormal Status Condition: ‘Possessed’ .

+

… . Why was I stuck inside such a guy’s body?

The scenario’s message definitely told me that I’d occupy a ‘host related to me’ . However, what did this wastrel prince have in common with me? Not only that, this dude’s natural muscular stat was 10 . The only thing similar between us would be our age, but even then… .

“Your highness, are you immersing yourself in roleplay once more?”

“Roleplay?”

“Last time, you were imitating our First Ancestor… . You’re now wearing an outfit that I haven’t seen before, your highness . You’re dressed like the people from Earth’s chronicles, sir . “

I took a look at the mirror without thinking too much about it and spotted the familiar outfit . Bizarrely enough, all my equipment had been transferred along with my possession of the host body .

I replied in a dead-pan manner . “It’s an outfit of a certain Demon King . “

” . . . . A Demon King, your highness?”

I reached into the coat’s inner pocket, and fortunately enough, I could feel the equipment I possessed still in there . I took out my smartphone first . In order to acquire more info on this place, I needed to check the contents of the ‘Ways of Survival’ . . . .

Tsu-chuchuchut!

[The applicable item does not line up with the worldview and therefore cannot be used . ]

… . Screw this damn penalty .

The butler alongside me must’ve interpreted my actions in his own way, since he spoke as thus . “Indeed, your highness, it’ll be better to enjoy yourself for one last time . Soon, ‘his’ majesty will call for you . Well, then . “

Leaving behind those words, the butler went away from my side . And I was left all alone in this small room .

⸢Kim Dok Ja is lone ly . ⸥

Right, it’s a relief that at least you’re here with me . I wonder what had happened to my other companions . . .

According to the last message I heard, it was highly probable that they all ended up in the same area as me . For the time being, I switched the scenario window on . The backlogged messages rose up non-stop in my view .

[You have entered Main Island’s ‘Kaixenix Archipelago’ . ]

[‘Kaixenix Archipelago’ is currently cut off from the ‘Great War of Saints and Demons’ conflict region’s space-time . ]

[You can advance to the ‘Great War of Saints and Demons’ after solving the applicable area’s sub-scenario . ]

I’d probably have to raise an army here and participate in the ‘Great War of Saints and Demons’ . Meaning, this place would serve as a foundation to enter that war .

[You can’t view the information on the scenario yet . ]

[The plot of the applicable scenario will change according to the route you have chosen . ]

The route I’ve chosen?

No, hang on a minute . At least I need to know what the conditions for failure is, so I can… .

[You won’t fail the applicable scenario as long as you do not die . ]

Now, this kind of situation would be my first .

In any case, I wouldn’t fail this scenario as long as I stay alive, was that it? I sat down on the bed and calmly organised my thoughts .

My name in the current worldview was Ricardo Von Kaixenix .

As this scenario was built upon the basis of ‘possession’, I had to perfectly carry on acting like the prince I took over .

My current priority should be to search for the other members of . It was highly possible that they were possessing other people like me, so only after I find them would I be… .

“Your highness, are you in? It’s Knight Bilston . “

Just as I began thinking, someone knocked on the door .

The Knight Bilston Framer – if Ricardo’s memories were correct, then that guy was supposed to be my escort knight .

“His majesty is calling for you, your highness . “

The moment he pushed open the door to enter the room, I was immediately taken over by this unexplainable feeling . The person standing before me was a knight boasting white moustache in his early 40s . Without a doubt, I should’ve been unfamiliar with his appearance . But then . . .

[Your Fables are reacting towards the applicable individual!]

[Exclusive attribute, ‘Scenario Interpreter’, is displaying its effect!]

The knight’s face was changing bit by bit .

⸢”Mister Ki . . . . . “⸥

A voice that I really missed entered my head, even though it hadn’t been that long since last I heard it .

⸢”Back when I was still in the military, there was an incident where I lost a spent cartridge . “⸥

The Fable accumulated within the man was talking to me right now . Words that lost the majority of their strength were desperately pleading with me regarding something .

⸢”I told myself to never lose one ever again . “⸥

I knew the owner of that particular Fable well .

” . . . . Mister Hyeon-Seong?”

When I spoke up, Yi Hyeon-Seong stared back at me .

[Applicable individual does not understand your words . ]

“It is you, isn’t it? Mister Hyeon-Seong?”

[Applicable individual does not understand your words . ]

[Applicable worldview has recommended that you perfectly act according to the role you were given . ]

Yi Hyeon-Seong staring at me with vacant eyes soon formed an awkward grin and replied back . “Hyeon-Seong? Haha, are you still in the middle of your roleplay, your highness? May I be permitted to inquire as to who you were imitating just now?”

It seemed that Yi Hyeon-Seong couldn’t recognise me at all – along with an expression of someone who didn’t remember me on his face .

I called out his name . “Lord Bilston . “

“Yes, your highness . “

“Do you not recognise this outfit?”

“Mm… . Is that the outfit of the Demon Hunters? Or, maybe, a member of Revolutionaries . . . . “

Although my current face was different, my current attire was the white coat that I’ve been wearing all along . If this man was really Yi Hyeon-Seong, there was just no way that he’d not recognise it .

But the fact that he still failed to do so could only mean… .

[Exclusive skill, ‘Character List’, has activated!]

+

Name: Bilston Framer (???)

Age: 43

Constellation Support: None

Exclusive Attribute: Loyalty, An Honourable Knight

Exclusive Skills: [Rapid Reaction Force Lv . 8], [Kingdom’s Royal Swordsmanship Lv . 8]

Stigma: None

Overall Stats: [Physique Lv . 80], [Strength Lv . 80], [Agility Lv . 80], [Magic Power Lv . 80]

Overall Rating: Once upon a time, there used to be two souls living within this body . He was a knight of the kingdom, and at the same time, a shield of someone else . The shield waited for his master to appear . He waited, and then waited some more . Finally, the master of the shield has appeared after a long wait, but the shield can no longer perform its role anymore .

+

While reading the explanation in the Attribute Window over and over again, I recalled the Invincible Fist Yu Ho-Seong’s warning .

– When you get to the Main Island, be careful of the ‘Great Fable’ .

– If it’s a Great Fable, I think I can control it now .

– I didn’t mean it that way . You will end up fighting against a Great Fable itself when you get there .

Only then did I understand the meaning behind those words .

I raised my head to sense the movement of a gigantic Probability encasing the entirety of the archipelago . Something was staring at me . Something that was neither a Constellation nor a Demon King .

[Great Fable, ‘Kaixenix Archipelago’, is avariciously staring at you . ]

I clenched my fists and bit down on my lip .

The still-oblivious Yi Hyeon-Seong continued to mutter to himself in the meantime . “Hmm, if it’s not the Revolutionaries, then maybe, another kingdom’s . . . . “

The Yi Hyeon-Seong that I knew had been swallowed up by this world and disappeared already .

Fin .