9.Diving Into the plot

The oldest and strongest kind of fear is fear of the unknown.

.....

A person's worth lies in their karma, and that's something I've always believed in.

No matter who blames or criticizes me, I've stood firm in the knowledge that my actions came from a place of good intention. And in the end, that's what truly matters to me.

Lynn may be someone supernatural, something beyond explanation but at our core, we were just two strangers caught in unfortunate circumstances, shaped by our own individual natures. And yet, in the short time we spent together, I felt a strange sense of connection between us.

Not forged by magic or fate, but by something far simpler like shared interests, quiet moments, and an understanding that didn't need words or wonder. Just… human.

I don't know how Lynn feels about me but I'm pretty sure he's not thrilled with what I've done.

The way he looked at me said it all.

It wasn't anger or disappointment,not exactly.

Just this quiet stare, like he was sizing me up, thinking, What's this clueless kid even trying to do?

And honestly? I was asking myself the same thing.

Maybe it was time to leave.

The thought stirred something strange in me-excitement of all things.

And that's what worried me most.

It's the kind of excitement that crawls under your skin when you're about to do something reckless, something completely unknown.

The truth is, I had no idea what I was supposed to do first.

Lynn hadn't exactly offered a detailed game plan.

All I had were his words which was cryptic and serious that I might end up under the guillotine… or buried six feet deep in the same spot where they probably already dumped his body.

I mean, what does happen when the guy everyone went out of their way to get rid off just walks back into town?

Especially when he's more of a ghost than a man with a fragile body and fragmented mind.

Yeah, great. This is fine. Totally fine.

"You nervous?"

Lynn asked like he already knew the answer like my thoughts were leaking through the cracks in my composure.

I shot him a glance and replied with a question of my own, one that had been sitting on my tongue for a while.

"I'm just thinking.

And besides, I already told you that I'm looking forward to my second round."

I paused, letting the words linger before grinning and adding:

"And hey, aren't you worried I might mess things up?

Ruin your plans, betray your friends... or maybe even fall in love with your fiancée? Assuming you have one, of course."

Weird question? Absolutely.

But I smirked at him anyway, more like teasing him to get a knack of his relationships.

Because yeah,I was stalling.

Time was ticking and I was just standing still.

I didn't know how to begin.

Where to begin.

Or even who to begin with.

All I knew was that from here on out...

I was on my own.

Lynn's response cut through my thoughts.

"No. I ain't fucking worried."

"So go ahead do whatever the hell you feel like.

But here's the real question

Can you even do anything over there?"

"Yeah, I've got people.

People who fill all the roles.

A father. A brother. A sister. Cousins. Friends I'd die for, and friends who've tried to kill me.

And yes, even my own beautiful, terrifying angel of a fiancée."

He laughed under his breath, but there was no humor in it.

"But the thing is... I don't know them.

Not really. I've lived twice, remember?

And in both lives, I failed to see their true intentions."

"You could say I'm an inborn failure at that kind of things."

I felt a pang of guilt.

I shouldn't have said that.

Shouldn't have poked at something so raw.

Stupid me.

"Sorry," I muttered, eyes dropping for a moment.

"I didn't mean to upset you. I just...

I was trying to figure out if you had someone special, Lynn.

Someone I could trust too."

I looked up, meeting his gaze.

"Because if I end up in a serious situation over there... I might have to make some hard choices.

And that could mean hurting someone close to you depending on the circumstances."

I took a breath, steadying myself.

"That's why I asked. I needed to know... if there's anyone you care about back there.

Anyone who cares about you."

Lynn just smiled.

But it wasn't a happy smile.

It was the kind that didn't reach his eyes, the kind that carried more weight than words.

He looked at me with a regretful expression and said softly,

"That's something you don't have to worry about... because I don't even know myself."

His gaze drifted somewhere distant, like he was trying to pull something from the past but it kept slipping through his fingers.

"I still can't figure them out. I can't even remember their faces anymore."

He let out a dry, hollow chuckle.

"But here's one thing I can say with confidence"

"Whether they ever liked me or not... is still a mystery.

But I won't call people 'family' if they watched me die with their eyes wide open. And I won't call anyone a 'friend' if they couldn't see what I was really trying to do."

I just sighed at his comments.

"Sure, whatever you say, Lynn."

It was all I could manage.

I couldn't find anything else to say.

I just stood there silent, and maybe a little ashamed.

Lynn took a step toward me, that familiar smirk tugging at his lips, but there was something serious in his eyes now. Something heavier.

He spoke like he was making a pact.

A promise. One that meant more than either of us was ready to admit.

"You told me to look into your mind... to see if something was hidden, right?"

He paused, gaze locking with mine.

"Then do me a favor too,show me their true colors."

"I don't care if they hate me, ignore me, or never once thought about me."

"But I have to know... if I ever meant anything to them. Atleast I wasn't just some ghost in the background of their lives or not."

He took one final step back, and with a voice that echoed more than the space around us, he added:

"I'll be watching you on that."

I couldn't suppress it but my tongue slipped out before I could stop myself.

"It's kind of funny hearing that from you. Anyone else, seeing the mess I'm in, would've just wished me a quick death.

But knowing you of all people is watching over me?"

"Weirdly enough... it actually makes me feel a little happy."

Lynn just smiled.

He turned his back to me, his voice calm and steady as he walked away like he'd already accepted what was coming next.

"Since I'm the one who dragged you into this... the least I can do is keep an eye on you."

"Even if it's just to watch you die."

He paused for a beat, then added almost like he was reciting something sacred:

"But remember this,maybe you've heard it before."

"When you get there, show your kindness to the people who deserve it...

Not to the ones who demand it."

Lynn, who had just walked a few steps ahead, suddenly stopped.

His voice rang out loud, sharp, echoing through the air like it was aimed straight at my soul.

"I've told you everything about me.

And you.....

You're the one who made me say it."

He turned slightly, just enough for me to catch the seriousness in his eyes.

"But you? You've said nothing.

No mention of your wishes.

Not a word about your world.

Not even your damn name."

He let out a dry chuckle, but there was something genuine behind it.

"At least tell me your name.

I'd like to know who I've put my money on."

Then, after a pause, his voice softened just a little.

"And besides... I don't want to be the ungrateful bastard who never even knew the name of the one person who seems to be trying to save my ass."

There was a silence that hung in the air like a thread about to snap.

"And ....I don't know if we'll ever meet again...

but I will remember you.

Name or no name.

Whether it's Lynn or something else,

I'll remember."

I couldn't help but smile.

I turned my back to him, mirroring his earlier movement.

"You don't need to try remembering me, Lynn.

We'll be seeing each other again... a lot more than you think."

He stayed quiet, but I knew.

I felt it,he was surprised.

I took a few steps forward and glanced over my shoulder one last time.

"And Lynn..." I said, flashing a sly grin.

"I'll tell you my name once I finish your wish."

"So sit back. Watch the plot unfold."

"It's going to be fun.

Not just for me but for both of us."

I heard Lynn let out a small sigh,almost a laugh. Quiet, but telling.

I closed my eyes.

And just like that, I felt it-the pull, the shift, the sensation of being dragged into something completely foreign.

Like the ground beneath me had forgotten I existed.

"This is it."

Whether it turns out to be a tragedy or an adventure,a curse or a blessing in disguise...

I'll make sure to turn it into something worth remembering.

A story that matters.

...

I couldn't help but be quietly astonished by everything that had happened to me in such a short span of time.

One moment I was dead-undeniably, unchangeably dead.

The next, I was alive again.

Not in the way I had expected.

Not in the way anyone should expect.

A different world.

A different body.

A different reality with its own rules and shadows I had yet to understand.

Whether this was a dream, a punishment, or some twisted version of fate didn't matter anymore.

All that mattered now… was staying alive.

That thought grounded me as the sensation intensified like I was being pulled through threads of energy, like something ancient and unseen was folding me into a new place.

It wasn't painful.

But it was… unnatural.

Like the world was rearranging itself just to let me in.

No turning back now. Let's roll.

I opened my eyes, and of course because the universe clearly had a sense of humor,I found myself staring at the exact setting every fantasy webnovel had prepared me for.

A luxurious room. High ceilings. Golden drapes swaying softly in the morning light.

Silken sheets under my stiff limbs.

It was the wholesome fantasy starter package.

The only thing missing was the stereotypical maid bursting in with a tray of breakfast and a voice sweet enough to give you cavities:

"Good morning, Master."

Please… not that.

Because if she had mana and if mana scans were a real thing in this world then the second she walked in, she'd know:

I'm not Lynn.

That's the last thing I need right now.

But maybe I was just being paranoid. Or maybe not.

I tried to move, to test the limits of this new shell.

Nothing.

My limbs felt like they were carved from stone. Heavy. Unresponsive.

I could barely feel anything below my neck.

It was like this body hadn't fully accepted me yet… or it was still too broken to function.

And then, my thoughts turned to Lynn.

He was drained off his mana completely and in the end, it wasn't the blow that killed him.

It was what came after.

The aftermath.

The slow collapse from within.

Lying here, feeling this body's dead weight…

I could tell.

He didn't just die.

He endured everything and then broke under the final pressure.

No other explanation needed.

I just waited.

And then… kept on waiting.

No footsteps. No doors creaking open. No voices.

Just silence.

Unsettling, thick silence.

Lynn's body wasn't responding-still heavy, still foreign and the more I lay there, the more one disturbing thought kept circling my mind:

Why hasn't anyone come yet?

He died, didn't he?Drained of mana. Collapsed. Body clearly wrecked.

And yet… no one had even bothered to check on him?

No maid. No healer. Not even someone curious enough to poke in and make sure the "young master" wasn't rotting in bed.

Not exactly comforting.

I mean, come on even in this fantasy setup, you'd expect some dramatic entrance by now.

A loyal maid with a soft voice and mana glowing from her fingertips.

Or a clueless staff member sweeping the floors and gasping dramatically upon seeing me awake.

But nope. Nothing.

Maybe magic takes care of everything here.

Maybe enchanted brooms clean floors and potions cook themselves.

Maybe no one needs to lift a damn finger anymore.

Convenient.

Or maybe… concerning.

Because if no one has come yet not even out of obligation then either Lynn was completely forgotten…

Or someone didn't want him found.

Suddenly i felt the weight of exhaustion in my mind maybe it was the aftershock of reincarnation, or the soul-warping ride of transmigration.

Either way, my body wasn't built for this kind of cosmic whiplash.

If Lynn were here, he'd probably smirk and mutter,

"Hell's just beginning."

And knowing him, he'd be right.

Well, who cares? Maybe it's a good thing nobody came looking for me.

No expectations, no drama.

Just me and this quiet void.

I sighed, long and slow, then let my eyes close.

And there she was,my only beloved loyal companion these days-"Sleep".