by Geli Cake
Haylan, reading my confused expression, said,
"Let's officially start dating the day I become taller than you."
"...."
Whether that would be in a year or 500 years, I didn't know. I still didn't understand why Haylan was growing, and no one else had a clue either. He just woke up one day and had sprouted like a mushroom.
"Well? What's your answer?"
"S-Sure, then."
But why did I feel like I had just dug my own grave?
"But why is height the criteria?"
That's ridiculous. I belatedly protested.
I wasn't short. Just because I was surrounded by hulking monster hunters who only used their bodies, it didn't mean I wasn't considered a tall, handsome young man elsewhere.
"What other criteria should we use?"
"…That's…"
I had nothing to say. There wasn't a clear distinction between minors and adults other than age. Haylan was absolutely right.
"Let's just go with height. I'm confident I'll be taller than you."
…Hey!
I wanted to yell at Haylan and challenge him to a fight, but I decided to hold back since I was currently a bit weaker than him.
─── ⋆⋅☼⋅⋆ ───
'What is this…?'
Could you really grow just by wanting to?
When I was in elementary school, seating arrangements were based on height. Back then, I wanted to sit in the back row so badly that I chugged two cartons of milk when I got home and promptly threw up. I haven't been able to drink milk properly ever since.
'This is unfair.'
But Haylan, the human mushroom, had suddenly shot up in just a few days and now looked like a middle schooler.
Crazy. This was ridiculous.
The moment he saw me, he lifted his chin proudly, as if to say, 'See? Look at this.' He was still cute, but I couldn't help but feel a little disappointed. It had been so cute how his small hands would grab onto me in surprise when I suddenly put my arms around him from behind and lifted him up.
But it seemed I wasn't the only one who felt that way.
"You've grown too big to carry around now."
Well, even before, he had become quite heavy, so going for walks while carrying him was out of the question. Haylan looked at me, dumbfounded at my words, his mouth slightly agape. I saw Yur chuckle as she passed by.
Everything was going smoothly. The main quest progress was over halfway, and I thought I could just mindlessly follow the quest's instructions.
[A deadline has been set for the Possessor's final goal.]
'A deadline?'
The system, without any input from me, displayed my initial goal before my eyes.
[Final Goal: The End of the Story
You have been possessed by a character in a limited-life scenario, destined to die according to the original storyline in a few years due to the world's calling.
But be confident, you have more 'compatibility' than anyone else, and the original storyline has chosen you!
Will you be able to see the end of this story?
Remaining Time: 6 months
Objective: Achieve the True Ending
Reward: A Wish Ticket]
'Six months left?'
Has it really been that long already? I frowned at the unexpectedly short timeframe. Considering the timeline of
'Will you be able to see the end of this story?'
But more than the impending deadline, the only thing on my mind right now was a certain someone.
'What will happen to Haylan after I finish everything?'
I didn't think he was completely helpless without me, but I knew that I had become more important to him than I had anticipated.
Would he be able to return to his normal life after I left or disappeared?
'I hope so…'
Haylan was no longer just my favorite character. I wanted him to be happy, no matter the outcome.
Until then, all I could do was my best, so I wouldn't have any regrets.
─── ⋆⋅☼⋅⋆ ───
As if the story was pushing me forward, an incident occurred a few days later. News reached us that an oracle had been delivered at the Grand Temple of Jenette.
'A foreign visitor with black hair will bring about the end of the world.'
It was an oracle delivered after 50 years. It was said that the priest who conveyed the divine message was suffering from a high fever and was still ill. Perhaps because of that, I felt like I was being stared at everywhere I went, to the point where my face ached.
"Those temple bastards. They always put on a show whenever they're short on donations."
Attention seekers! Earn money by working honestly!
Ryzen deliberately raised his voice, using coarse language, making sure everyone heard. It was his way of encouraging me.
But unlike those around me, I wasn't discouraged.
'Because it's all true.'
This world was an incomplete story. And I was the chess piece meant to put a period at the end, to bring about the "True Ending."
While the guidebook helped me, this world wasn't happy about me deviating from my role. It bound me with a curse.
I was a foreign entity. I was a foreign visitor the 'god' spoke of. The world was trying to put me back in my designated role.
Unfortunately for them, the oracle only strengthened my resolve.
'I'm on the right track.'
All I had to do was eat well, sleep well, and diligently do my job. The guidebook would lead the way.
"Here's your payment. By the way… how are you doing these days?"
"You're asking because of the rumors too, right?"
"Oh, honey! Of course, I don't believe them! If there was a God, why would criminals still be alive and well without divine punishment?"
"I don't understand why everyone is so worried about me."
"Because you're smart, but you can be a bit naive in these matters."
"…About what?"
"Anyway, be careful. We promised to get rich together!"
People forget things surprisingly quickly. The uneasy atmosphere seemed to have subsided after a few days, and the priest who had been suffering from a fever woke up and said he didn't remember what he had said.
However, it seemed this matter wasn't over yet.
News arrived that monsters had descended on a village on hoards. The problem was that only one particular house had been spared.
With the village in ruins, a single house standing unscathed amidst the devastation naturally drew attention. And as fate would have it, the resident of that house was a woman with black hair.
It wouldn't have been a problem if it was just one isolated incident, but similar things were happening all over the empire, even in other countries. It was an absurd phenomenon, with monsters rampant in the dead of winter.
People tended to blame others for things they couldn't comprehend. They banded together once they had a target for their blame. It was irrational, but that's how reality worked.
Within a week, the oracle had become distorted and exaggerated.
They say a person with black hair brings harm to those around them. They say they kill everyone and survive alone. They say they're cursed.
Still, I had to do my job. Mercenary groups from all over the country began subjugating monsters, starting with the nearest areas, to eliminate the rampant monsters. The Red Lion was no exception.
"We're going to the Rototo Valley."
The Captain declared. The atmosphere in our mercenary group was a little more somber than usual. It was probably the same elsewhere…
The subjugation operation itself wasn't easy, and carrying it out in this freezing weather made it even more challenging. People like us had to do something before the damage to the villages became too severe.
It would take five days at the earliest, two weeks at the latest.
'Could the purpose be…?'
…to separate me from Haylan…?
With a nagging suspicion in my mind, I informed Haylan of the news.
"Keep practicing your magic. I'll be back soon."
"Forget 'soon,' just come back safely."
"You know I will."
I winked playfully, but Haylan just sighed deeply.
"I'm telling you not to get hurt in the first place. There are plenty of other people to fight."
"I'll try my best."
But there were times when I had to step up in dangerous situations. I made a silent promise to myself never to tell him if I got hurt. As if reading my mind, Haylan poked my cheek with his finger and said,
"I worry about you too."
"A lot of people are worried about me these days. I guess I didn't live my life in vain."
"…I worry about you the most."
"I know that too."
We smiled and said goodbye. The thought that there was at least one person waiting for my return made me feel a little better, despite the situation.
─── ⋆⋅☼⋅⋆ ───
Freezing rain started as soon as we left Asileth. I found the sight strangely fascinating and stared blankly out the window for a long time. Snow was rare in this area.
We gathered at the rendezvous point, set up camp, and rested while waiting for the other mercenary groups to arrive.
Ziiiip. I looked up at the sound of the tent zipper opening and saw a stranger.
"Hello."
I bowed my head in greeting. Even if I didn't know him, we would be working together for the next few days. There was no harm in being polite.
"Your hair is really black, huh?"
"Excuse me?"
"Your hair."
Isn't this guy a bit rude?