Letting his body sink into the warm water, surrounded by a thick cloud of foam bubbles (definitely not soap), Seojin closed his eyes.
"…This situation is quite hopeless."
According to what Iria told him earlier, today was the 4th day of Nocturne which meant he had been dropped into this world right at the beginning of winter.
Worst of all, the character he now possessed, Seven Hart, was fated to die on the 7th of Nocturne.
"To think I only have three days to enjoy my new life… as if I could even enjoy it! I don't even know how I'm supposed to die!"
He could simply hang his head in despair as he laughed, sounding half-hysterical.
Seven Hart's death in the novel wasn't even complicated; just a convenient tragedy used to fuel the first daughter's growth arc. Though she had cut ties with the family and dropped her rights to claim the throne, yet for some unknown reason, she remained fiercely protective of her youngest brother.
Protective enough that his death pushed her to seek vengeance against the world itself, then later met the MC and joined the journey.
Seojin sank lower into the water, letting it swallow his chin until his eyes drifted to his palm.
"This body doesn't even have calluses. Forget calluses. There isn't even a trace of Zi in his veins."
Zi.
The equivalent of "aura" or "mana" in other novels.
It was the foundation of life in this world: magicians condensed it into Zi Stars, while swordmen, archers, and other physically attributed individuals (warriors) channeled it into Zi Rings.
Their power was represented through tattoos:
Mages bore star-shaped marks on the back of their hands, and warriors carried ring-like tattoos around their wrists.
"Aish, shibal…! What the fudge am I supposed to do here?!"
He punched the water. The bubbles splashed high enough to smother the candlelight overhead, but the flame didn't even flicker.
Fantasy novels always made transmigration sound so grand: being summoned to another world, gaining absurd power, and becoming some kind of chosen hero.
But now that he was actually here, shivering in a bathtub in a death-flag body…
Fantasy really was only fun when it stayed fantasy.
He slapped himself, perhaps trying to wake up from this absurd dream.
Slap!
However, nothing happened.
"Damn it. Fudge it all."
Standing up, he rinsed himself off the shower, thankfully this world had one, and grabbed the towel and scrubbed it against his head.
He was already at his breaking point, grumbling and whining complaints after complaints inside his mind, staying here far longer would probably ruin his mind.
Thing is, he could no longer escape the reality now that he had assessed his situation with his life on the line; he had confirmed that this was indeed not a dream.
"Aahhh. I badly wanna go back…"
Even though his life on Earth had been painfully lonely, it wasn't truly awful.
He had everything a child growing up in the gutters could ask for… well, probably everything except a father; though he had seven fathers; wait, who cares about his fathers?
What he missed was that he could play games or binge-read novels and movies for hours and hours and hours, even days, without his mother scolding him to sleep.
That freedom, he missed it now more than ever.
If he could return somehow, the very first thing he would do. the one thing swirling in his head right now, was to march straight to this damned novel's author and throw hands.
But no.
There was no Goddess welcoming him when he arrived here, the one so with such beauty so breathtaking that poets would weep at her feet while saying a cliche phrase: "Chosen Hero, rise."
Seriously, there was nothing, which in its own interpretation, could only mean one thing:
If there was no Goddess, then there was absolutely no way to go back to Earth!
In the first place…
"Being thrown into another world without a Goddess is nothing short of blasphemy!"
Truly, such carelessness is an inconceivable act of negligence! To summon a soul across time and space, only to abandon him in silence…
Step, step.
Stopping right before the bathroom mirror, he stared at his warped reflection.
"…Yeah. If I keep my head down and avoid the story's events, the plot shouldn't break much. The first daughter can find another reason to join the protagonist, right?"
He laughed.
Fully extending his arms outward like some cultivator on the verge of enlightenment, he let out an even more hysterical laugh as he declared his so-called life mottos to the ceiling.
"Live long! Enjoy the small joys of life! Aaaaand— Fudge the goddamn Gods and Goddesses! I wasn't summoned here to be a hero anyway."
He puffed out his chest.
With a sigh of contentment, he wrapped a towel around his neck, still completely naked and stepped out of the adjoining washroom.
He had momentarily forgotten about his pre-written death, and he didn't seem like he would remember it anytime soon!
Step, step.
"Heh. I really am smart. Maybe this life isn't that ba—"
"Young lord, are you alright? I think I heard you scream from downst… stairs… —E-Excuse me, Y-Young Lord?!"
A startled voice rang out.
"...Eh?"
He looked ahead, the towel still draped casually around his neck and 'only' his neck.
At the doorway stood Iria, frozen mid-step, her face turning more red than a red tomato by the second. A folded set of clothes lay trembling in her hands as she struggled to find words.
"I-I brought your clothes, Young Lord! I thought you were— I mean, I didn't realize you were still—!"
She made a strangled sound, eyes darting everywhere except his body.
"I deeply apologize!"
Seojin blinked.
"Ah."
The towel slipped another inch on his neck to his shoulder.
Iria's entire body jolted. She snapped her head away so fast her ponytail whipped the air.
"I-I'll leave them here, Young Lord! P-Please get dressed first!"
The door slammed shut loud, leaving him frozen in place.
A lifetime of virginity hadn't prepared him for this; having a woman accidentally see him completely naked was enough to send his brain straight into shock!
At the same time…
Ding!
A faint, transparent window appeared before him.
၊ Character: Seven Hart (Yoon Seojin)
၊ Age: 15 (17)
၊ Status: Seventh Son of the Seventh Archduke of the Seventh Continent (Seventh Reader of ??? for Seven Years)
၊ Talent: None :)