When you grow up surrounded by swearing, you learn to wield it like a weapon. At 27, I've cursed like it's my second language. Now, under this bizarre system, I struggle to silence that habit.

[Time remaining: 5 hours and 25 minutes]

Not even an hour has passed, and already I feel the weight of dread. Whoever designed this system knows me far too well—and they really seem to hate me.

Remembering the details of the contract—what I thought was just fun and games, a way to escape my reality—has turned into a nightmare for the people living on Planet 104951. What I saw as a playful twist meant to develop my protagonist has become a cruel twist of fate for them.

Is this really happening? Or is some entity just playing with me?

The system beeps again, pulling me back to the moment. "Ha, now what, system?"

[Quest: Save Eane's Life]

[Eane—a friend of the protagonist—was killed by Heneios bandits. He was destined for greatness, yet his fate ended prematurely for reasons unknown. The author must save Eane at all costs without interfering with Kaiser's destiny.]

Time Remaining: 7 days and 2 hours

Rewards:

- 10 RP points

- Eye of Tharm (skill)

- The Book of Yoohdok (skill)

Failure: Death

- Pain 10x stronger than what the character feels.

My heart pounded as I recalled the name Eane. He was the protagonist Kaiser's first friend and my favorite character—the one I would want to meet if he were real. But Eane was also the first character I chose to die in the novel.

The story began when the youngest prince, Kaiser, was forced to leave the imperial palace to escape his uncle Albert, who had seized power in a coup d'état. Once he was strong enough, Kaiser set out to gather powerful allies and reclaim the throne from his uncle, now the emperor of the Shavrim Empire.

With this goal in mind, he first traveled to Hewarava Town, a place filled with mercenaries, where he met Eane, his first true companion. Though they were the same age, Eane was more innocent and honest than Kaiser. His purity seemed to influence Kaiser as well.

The two grew close after they began meeting by chance at the riverbank in the forest. Eane would be there, catching fish to eat, while Kaiser sought solace and gather his thoughts.

It was Eane who approached him first, offering some grilled smoked fish after hearing Kaiser's stomach grumble. With his innocent smile and pure-hearted gesture, the icy and cautious prince accepted the offer.

That was the start of their friendship. Kaiser couldn't believe how easily Eane gained his trust—the first person he'd ever met who didn't want anything from him or intend to cause him harm.

For a moment, Kaiser forgot about his revenge and found peace, imagining that maybe life could be simple if he lived like this, with no problems beyond finding food and shelter. A life worth living.

Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

Eane was his first friend, and Kaiser treasured him deeply.

But then came the day when Eane didn't show up at their usual spot. Anxiety gnawed at Kaiser's insides. Eane had once mentioned the village he lived in, so Kaiser decided to visit.

When he arrived, the village lay in ruins, with people working hard to rebuild. Kaiser asked around for Eane but was met with hostile glares, their eyes filled with hatred.

Kaiser eventually uncovered a painful truth: Eane had been an outcast in his village since childhood. It all began when a well-known prophet visited the village. Upon meeting Eane, the prophet's power surged uncontrollably, and he declared that the child was cursed, born under stars of misfortune, destined to bring harm to anyone close to him.

The villagers believed him, blaming Eane for the tragedies that befell them and to what happened to his family. Eane's mother died during childbirth, and shortly after, a mysterious disease claimed his father. His siblings treated him like a pest, leaving him alone in a world that turned its back on him.

Every day, he ventured to the river and forest to gather his own food just to survive. All he wanted was to live his life, hoping that one day his family and the villagers would accept him and treat him as part of their community.

Despite everything, Kaiser couldn't understand why Eane spoke joyfully of his home and the villagers, even when none of them treated him like a human.

Yet, like a bad karma that fell upon them, disaster struck: a notorious group of bandits attacked the village. Known for enslaving the strong and mercilessly killing the weak, they left devastation in their wake.

Eane, though despised and rejected by the villagers, chose to use his power, forcefully teleporting everyone to the depths of the forest to keep them safe. But with no one left to defend their home, the village lay in ruins—everything destroyed, valuables stolen, the entire place wiped clean.

Despite saving their lives, the villagers blamed Eane for the destruction and exiled him, banishing him from the community for good.

Eane accepted his fate without much thought or resistance, feeling only happiness and relief that everyone was safe, though he also blamed himself for failing to protect their home.

Knowing all of this filled Kaiser with rage. He wanted to bury every villager six feet underground. But he stopped his shaking hands from gripping his sword, unwilling to waste Eane's effort and sacrifice.

He could only hope that Eane was safe.

Determined to find his friend, Kaiser went to the Graduza Guild for information. There, he learned that some of the very villagers Eane had protected had sold him into slavery.

Enraged, Kaiser returned to the village, now rebuilt, and destroyed it once more. He hunted down those responsible and killed them.

He then tracked down the bandits' hideout, hoping to save Eane. But he was too late—Eane had already been delivered to the capital, where aristocrats sought his powerful teleportation skills.

Without wasting any time, Kaiser caught up to the carriage holding Eane captive. But just as before, he was too late.

Eane was already dead, lying on the cold, hard ground beneath a moonless sky.

He tried to fight back and free the other captives, but exhaustion prevented him from using his skills. In his weakened state, Eane was no match for the blades of his captors and was killed on the spot.

Upon seeing his lifeless friend, Kaiser went berserk, slaying everyone responsible for Eane's death. It was a gruesome scene that left a lasting impression on the surviving captives that night.

This was the first major conflict in Kaiser's journey, marking the moment the male lead lost his very first friend. This loss would motivate him to grow stronger, so he wouldn't have to lose anyone again.

Though this event froze his heart, preventing him from feeling that same pain again, it marked a turning point for Kaiser. Eane was the last person he allowed himself to feel peace with, the final straw that drove him toward vengeance.

He became indifferent, caring for no one, deciding that others were merely tools to be used. This experience fueled Kaiser's hatred for those he deemed weak, ensuring he wouldn't lose sight of his revenge.

But now, I wonder: how can I save Eane and still allow Kaiser to develop in this way?

After all, I, too, feel as fragile as a twig.

[Preparation Complete]

[Teleporting to the quest's location...]

[..3...2...1]