To get others to come to our way of thinking,we must go over to theirs.
...
Lynn laid out his story-messy, tangled and full of loose ends.
He was the player in this mess, the center stage act.
And just when I thought I had enough on my plate, along with it came the horrifying bystander-quiet, sharp, and way too observant for comfort.
I've got my doubts about her, but they'll have to wait their turn.
Digging deep is a bad habit I never broke,it's how I've made a living and how I've lost sleep.
My experiences with people have always been full of epiphany ,especially in my line of work.
It was awkward, complicated, a maze of masks and mixed signals.
The ones grinning at you in daylight are usually the ones filing complaints behind closed doors.
And the ones who spit venom?
They walk away with the brightest damn smiles, like all that chaos was just part of their evening entertainment.
No matter who I meet regardless of language, culture, or country,
if there's one thing they all do flawlessly, it's to judge.
When you've seen that circus enough times, it wears you down, burns away your tolerance until all that's left is suspicion and caffeine.
Now, here I am, gearing up for a one-on-one with a ghost woman who's already killed me once and might be eyeing a sequel.
But I've got no choice.
After all, a bystander sees the whole game clearer than the ones playing it.
...
"Are you done, Mr. Alter Ego-san?"
she asked, her voice carrying that playful chill like someone who knew she'd already won.
"Not done yet, Ms. Horror Lady,"
I replied before my brain could catch up with my mouth.
A pause.
"Oh… sorry."
Reflex. Instinct. Maybe stupidity.
Talk about a suicidal move.
She didn't flinch,Just watched me with those eyes inside that veil of hers that seemed too calm for someone who'd already killed me once.
Ah, great start.
Talk about awkward.
But she didn't seem bothered.
Or maybe she just enjoyed watching me squirm.
Hard to tell with someone like her.
It's fine .I told myself.
She doesn't mind… I guess.
"What was your name again?
I didn't get to ask you back then,"
i asked, like it was a casual thing.
Like we hadn't just been toeing the line between life and death.
I glanced at Lynn.
He didn't say much just leaned in and whispered it, barely loud enough for her to hear.
"Vahel."
Vahel, huh…
Then her eyes flicked toward me, amusement thinly veiled.
"Quite a fancy name.
Isn't that what you're thinking?"
She asked, with the tone of someone who believed they were always a step above you.
"Yeah"
I said, mustering the best sarcasm I could manage.
"Quite the name for someone with a horror aesthetic y'know, trapping innocent citizens with dogs and killing them."
Her face cracked. Not all the way, just a flicker. But enough to know the jab hit somewhere deep.
She recomposed, brushing the moment off like dust on her shoulder.
Then she tilted her head,
"Are you finally thinking of asking me some questions?"
She said it like she was waiting for this moment.
Like the whole scene had been a setup, and I'd just walked into the next act.
This was the part she was waiting for. The act she rehearsed.
"Yeah " I replied, standing a little straighter.
"You are not in a hurry or something?"
Her lips curled slightly by my question.
"Depends on what you ask."
"This won't take much of your time,
I only have three or four things to ask you, Ms. Vahel."
"Oh? Showing respect to the wrong person, aren't you?"
"The fact that you used my own past trauma just to make me feel like nothing...
That's a masterpiece in cruelty.
World-class work."
"You call that trauma? Are you really that scared of a few mutts?"
I didn't need to answer that.
"Funny... You acted like you could see right through Lynn.
But what happened now ?"
She didn't realize it, but she'd just told me the truth.
No questions needed.
Confirmation came straight from her mouth.
She's good. Scarily good. Her level of manipulation is no accident.
"True... but I'll need better tactics if I'm going to take his place."
She just smirked at that. Calm. Amused. Like I'd said something naive.
"You're actually considering it."
"That's brave. But strong will won't save your life there."
"And don't forget you're just a normal, naive human from a normal world who got lucky enough to stumble into this one."
"Then how did you help him get strong?"
"Lynn was confident and he told me you were the reason for it."
"So... can you just help me become strong too?"
Lynn stood silently nearby, listening. He knew he didn't need to speak.
This wasn't about him anymore.
"Oh my,That's a bold thing to ask."
"You really don't get it, do you?"
"If Lynn gained strength, it wasn't for free. He had to give something up."
"He gave me his soul."
"In return, I gave him the power and support he needed."
Lynn suddenly wore a defeated, regretful expression.
I noticed it by glance.
"What is this support you mentioned? Some kind of superficial assistant or something?"
"Oh… in your world, you might call it a system."
"System, huh?
No wonder he got so strong…"
Lynn's eyes lit up with a flicker of curiosity.
"Mmm? You've heard of it?"
It surprised Lynn,he thought he might be the only one who'd actually experienced such a thing.
"Yes, it's kind of famous in our world."
Yeah only in web novels and comics.
The typical system cliche template, which can be seen in every novel that releases nowadays.
It's everywhere every new series has one.
But that's just fiction.
Right now, it isn't.
"But Lynn… if the system had your back, why did you lose in the second round?"
"No… its function was only to show me possible paths to grow stronger.
Not to protect me from danger."
"So… what happened to the system? Is it not with you now?"
"Even a system doesn't need a dead man."
"…Okay. Sorry I got distracted, Ms. Vahel.
I have one more question."
"Hm?"
"How did Lynn die in his second round?"
Lynn was hesitant,his lips pressed tight, his gaze distant.
Even if he did tell me, I knew he wouldn't be cool about it.
Wouldn't be calm.
But I wasn't here to make him uncomfortable.
If I wanted the truth, I needed to ask the person who always knew everything.
Vahel.
A woman who killed people like me without hesitation.
If someone like her agreed to work with me, she'd have already observed everything. Every move. Every flaw there should be.
Lynn said nothing.
He just stared into the distance.
I glanced at him,looked into his eyes, silently asking. I need to hear it.
Maybe… maybe he wanted to know the truth, too.
Vahel smiled, almost playfully.
And then, in that calm, cold tone of hers, she dropped the bomb.
"It's simple" she said.
"He went to eliminate a cult.
And he did.
He slaughtered dozens of children."
My brain… just stopped.
"Kids?" I echoed, like I hadn't heard it right.
She shrugged lightly, like it was a minor detail.
"Not kids. Demons in disguise."
She raised an eyebrow, amused.
"Oh my. Are we having second thoughts about helping our tragic hero?"
I just listened.
Lynn had already told me he'd done something violent.
I expected blood on his hands,maybe even too much of it.
But something in the way Vahel spoke… I knew that wasn't the main part of the story.
She leaned back slightly, her voice still smooth, detached.
"Then what happened was quite… dramatic.
His own family initiated a formal trial against him.
They declared him guilty and delivered the punishment themselves."
That caught me off guard.
"The fact is" she continued,
"it all happened so fast, even I had doubts about it."
I blinked. Trying to make sense of it.
"Wait… it's confusing. He killed demons, right? So why was he punished?"
What the hell?
My thoughts raced.
In every story I'd ever read ,every webnovel, every comic.
when the protagonist wipes out a nest of evil, he gets rewarded.
Promoted. Admired. Level-up, next arc, new gear.
But this?
This was… backwards.
"It doesn't add up," I muttered.
"He did the right thing. So why the hell did they treat him like a criminal?"
Vahel said with a smirk, turning to Lynn.
"Look at that. Even I can die peacefully now—someone's finally on your side."
"Yeah, great,"
Lynn muttered, deadpan.
"Just die already."
That set her off.
She burst into laughter sharp, unrestrained, echoing with something a little too unhinged.
I waited, arms crossed, for it to pass.
Eventually, it did.
The smile stayed.
"What was the reason?"
I asked, voice low.
She glanced at me, her amusement still clinging to her expression like a mask.
"Someone manipulated the entire event. Twisted the facts.
Framed it all as Lynn's madness.
And just like that, the story became this:
He murdered real, innocent children."
The air felt colder.
Lynn didn't speak.He didn't deny it.
He just stared eyes distant, jaw clenched, like he'd relived that moment again.
This seemed like a serious misfortunate story.
Too tragic to be coincidence.
But even now, I couldn't bring myself to believe her completely.
"That still doesn't explain how he ended up here," I said, eyeing Vahel.
"They did something horrible… but as someone born with mana in my veins, I can't fully understand it."
Lynn finally spoke up, his voice quiet but raw.
"They drained my mana. That was the punishment."
I blinked.
"That sounds… harsh. But it didn't kill you, right?"
"In our world, mana is life. When your mana drops, so do you."
I paused, trying to wrap my head around it.
I glanced at him, then at Vahel.
"So… if I go in his place ,take his body then I'd have to live with that aftermath?
"Yes" Vahel nodded.
"But that's the cruel part, isn't it?"
Her voice dropped slightly, almost serious for once.
"In a world brimming with mana, where it's in the air, the ground, everything -being 'normal' is a death sentence. Slowly. Quietly. But certain."
I stayed quiet.
The whole story was slowly assembling, piece by jagged piece.
And it was painting a picture far more complicated than I expected.
I was piecing everything together—every word, every look, every silence.
Trying to be sure.
Then came her voice—cutting through the quiet like a blade.
"Heard enough, right…?"
Vahel tilted her head, smile still playing on her lips.
"So, what's your plan now, Mr. Unwanted?
Whether you go chasing his cause,
or dive in for your own reasons.
You'll only find the one thing you've always tried to avoid."
I exhaled slowly.
"I understand."
She smirked wider.
"Finally. I was this close to snapping from your little quiz show.
Since you understand now… know this—
This is nowhere near your caliber.
You're still just a naive little normie."
Lynn didn't say a word.
He just started walking past me, silent and cold like he'd already decided this conversation was over.
But before he could pass, I reached out and grabbed his shoulder.
"We're not done talking."
He froze.
Then, I turned my eyes to Vahel.
"Let's make a deal ,Vahel"
I addressed her by name for the first time.
She blinked.
"Huh…For what ?"
What I just said…was pure impulse.
I knew my place in all this.
But that didn't mean I couldn't try.
"I want to make a deal with you, Vahel."
She raised an eyebrow, her expression shifting to something less amused and more annoyed.
"And what's my price?"
I glanced at Lynn.
"Same as his" I said.
He looked at me like I'd just told the world's dullest joke.
One he never wanted to hear again.
"So then… what do you want in exchange?"
"That…" I paused. "Will remain my secret."
Vahel's eyes narrowed.
"Huh? What the hell is that supposed to mean?"
I met her gaze, voice unwavering.
"Since I'm giving you the most valuable thing I own,my soul.
I get to set my terms."
She chuckled coldly.
"Value is decided by the buyer, sweetheart. And frankly?
Your soul's not worth much."
"Then cut down my time."
She tilted her head. "What time…?"
"You sent Lynn back not for a few days, or months, but for a whole lifetime.
I want you to cut that time. Shorten it."
Vahel blinked, then laughed softly.
and tilted her head.
"Oh, I remember doing that. It was… exhausting. Watching someone take forever to finish their damn story."
"But you seemed glad when it finally ended, didn't you, Ms. Vahel?"
I stared straight at her, dead serious.
She gave me a look.
A long, thoughtful one. Then, for once, she didn't smile.
"Glad or not… if you're giving your soul as a souvenir, I won't belittle the effort.
So—how much time do you need?"
I opened my mouth.
"I need—"
"ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR FUCKING MIND?!"
Lynn's voice thundered behind me, practically shattering my eardrums.
"You're insane, you know that?!"
Lynn's voice exploded, full of frustration.
"Were you deaf this whole time?!"
He stepped forward, fists clenched.
"I just told you ,explained everything how my so-called glorious life got flushed down in minutes.
How pathetic it all became.
And now you wanna throw yourself into the same hell?"
I stayed calm.
"Isn't that why you brought me here?" I asked.
Lynn's jaw tightened.
"That was a mistake. I never wanted someone like you to take my place out of pity."
"I don't pity you."
"I wanted someone who is…" he paused, struggling. "...different. Someone stronger. Smarter. Better."
"You're thinking about this the wrong way."
"Oh yeah?" His eyes burned.
"What exactly is wrong, then?"
"I'm doing this because I want a second chance at life.
Not for you. But for Me."
Lynn went quiet. Maybe he was starting to see it—my nature, my resolve.
"I'm not here to carry someone else's baggage," I said, steady and clear.
"I'm not doing this out of guilt or pity. Who the hell am I to look down on you?"
I stepped forward, eyes locked with his.
"So stop thinking unnecessary things.
This isn't about you anymore."
Vahel had been silent during our sudden clash, but I could feel it,
she was smirking on the inside.
"You're quite smart, I guess?"
she finally said, her tone light, but sharp beneath the surface.
"Can you agree, then?"
She let out a soft laugh.
"Yes… I'm truly surprised.
But tell me how long are you planning to keep playing this little game?"
"One year."
"A year?"
she repeated, eyes narrowing.
"That's… sh—long."
"You were about to say short."
"No" she said, smiling faintly.
"It's long.
Much longer than I think you'd last."
She crossed her arms.
"But what about the contract?
If I don't know your terms, how am I supposed to make it up to you?"
"There's a solution," I said.
"You'll know the terms only after I leave this place."
"And it only has three conditions"
"Just three. Simple ones."
She tilted her head, curious.
"I hate suspense"
she said with a sigh. "Let's hear it."
"The terms will be a secret with me until I leave here.
The base of the deal is that I'll return here,dead or alive after one year."
"That's the only thing that matters"
I replied.
"If I come back dead, it's your win.
You get everything.
But if I come back alive…
I decide how the rest of the deal plays out.
And when I do… I'll bring you a souvenir too."
Vahel's smirk deepened.
"I like it. Risky. Bold. Probably stupid."
Vahel's smirk grew.
"Hm. Tempting.
But I already have a guess how this ends for you.
And if I'm right about your previous life status…"
She leaned in just slightly,
…it won't take a year at all."
Vahel casually waved her hand.
A small glowing circle wrapped around us like a rope, binding the deal in an instant then shattered into shimmering light.
"Fine," she said, brushing imaginary dust from her fingers.
"Have it your way.
But what about Lynn?"
Her voice turned cold.
"Even if it's just one year… I don't think he has the privilege of watching how your story ends."
"So, how do I leave from here?"
I asked calmly.
"You're in quite a rush now that your terms are sealed" she said with a playful tilt of her head.
"I wonder what you're really planning."
Then, with a smirk, she added,
"Anyway just think of Lynn's dead body. You'll slip right into his place before you even realize it.
And maybe… you'll be back here before we even blink."
I smiled at her words.
Then I turned, met Lynn's eyes and walked up to him.
Without a word, I pulled him into a hug.
He stiffened in surprise but then slowly, he returned the embrace.
Unexpected. But not unwelcome.
"What?" I whispered with a grin.
"Feeling bad that you hoped to see someone 'better'… and ended up with an asshole like me?"
We stayed like that, wrapped in a quiet moment neither of us expected.
"No," Lynn said softly.
"But I do feel a little hurt by your earlier comment."
"Sorry," I replied.
"It was necessary. But don't worry… I'll do something to make it up to you."
"Oh yeah?" he said, slightly amused.
"Do what exactly?
You haven't gained mana or was that not part of your grand plan?"
"You'll see " I said.
He hesitated, then asked:
"After you leave… this version of me will be gone. Erased.
So how am I supposed to witness your little 'experimental run'?"
I turned my gaze sideways, locking eyes with Vahel.
She was already smirking.
I smiled right back, wholeheartedly.
"Because...I am not leaving you behind here." I said
"you're coming with me for MY second round."
"…Huh?"
"…What?"
Before either of them could register what I'd just said,
I tightened my grip around Lynn
and we vanished.
Gone in a flash of light, leaving only the aftershock behind.
Vahel stood in silence, frozen like a statue,expression blank, as if someone had just stolen her favorite cake
mid-bite.