Stella stood stunned, her eyes wide as she watched me kill the demon. She stared at me as if she were seeing a ghost.

I pulled my sword free, and the demon's lifeless body collapsed to the ground.

Stella immediately approached and wrapped her arms around me tightly.

-- I didn't know my son was this capable. I'm so proud of you... Maybe Uncle Enchu was right after all... -- she whispered, her voice trembling with a mix of pride and disbelief.

I hugged her back, feeling the warmth of her embrace, then calmly returned my sword to the system storage.

-- But how did you know he was a demon? -- she asked, her voice curious but cautious.

I guess he stinks like one, - I replied with a small smile.

She chuckled softly before teasing me.

-- Well, you stink too, Leon. Now go take a bath and wash off that blood before I start suspecting you're a demon as well! -- she said playfully, her grin breaking the tension.

I walked slowly toward the bathroom, glancing back at her as she began using her magic to clean up the mess left behind.

Opening the bathroom door, I approached the water pump. Even though I could have easily used magic to summon water or siphon it from the deep well, something about relying on magic all the time didn't sit right with me. It felt lazy unless I was too tired to move—which I realized I was now.

Letting out a sigh, I decided to use magic after all. I siphoned the water directly into the stone clawfoot tub, watching as it filled up.

With a flick of my hand, I summoned a fireball and gently let it sink into the water, heating it up until steam began to rise.

I slowly lowered myself into the warm water, feeling its soothing embrace ease the tension in my body. Closing my eyes, I allowed myself a moment of rest.

Now what?

System, what should I do next?

The faces of the soldiers flashed through my mind. Their actions, their loyalty... Did they even know the king's true agenda? Or were they just blind, following orders without question?

I let out a slow breath, sinking deeper into the water as my thoughts spiraled.

Then...

*/System rebooting.....

I opened my eyes and found myself in the white space again. The faceless white man was there, lounging on a makeshift king's throne constructed from bowls, plates, and utensils.

-- Die, from taking a bath? Really, Leon? -- he said, his tone dripping with mockery.

Oh, did I just die? - I asked, feeling a knot of embarrassment tighten in my chest.

-- Yes, that's why you're here again… --

Is Sario still here? -

You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

-- Of course not. He's already here, -- the white man replied, pointing to my chest with an unsettling smirk.

He stood up from his throne, and as he did, the fragile construction crumbled into dust behind him.

-- So, where do you want to go now? -- he asked casually, swiping his hand through the air. The endless white space shifted, and a new scene emerged before me.

It was my room. Not just any room, though my room from my previous world.

This place… - I murmured, staring at the familiar sight, my breath catching in my throat.

-- Yes, your old room, isn't it? Are you more comfortable talking to me here? -- he asked, plucking a book from the dusty shelf.

-- How to Die: A Guide to the End of Life... So, you enjoyed reading this kind of stuff, didn't you? How ironic... Now you can't die. All that knowledge you gained from this book is completely useless. --

With a flick of his hand, the book ignited, disintegrating into a pile of ashes.

What should I do next? - I asked, trying to steady my voice.

He leaned in closer, his tone suddenly turning serious.

-- Leon… You already know what your next step is. It's the one you should have taken on the first day. Now you're starting to see why the system gives you quests. They're not random commands, Leon. You can consider them as… a guide. --

A guide? From you? -

-- Not really, -- he said with a sly grin. -- They're from you… and from me as well. Oh, and from him, the writer... --

What? That doesn't even make sense. And who's this writer? - I replied, narrowing my eyes.

The white man shrugged casually.

-- Leon, nothing makes sense in this space. Do you think this does? --

He grabbed another book from the shelf, inspected it for a moment, then tossed it to me.

As soon as it landed in my hands, the impossible happened eyes and a mouth appeared on the book's cover, then it begun to talk.

-- I CAN'T BREATHE! I CAN'T BREATHE!!! WHERE'S MY NOSE?! -- The book screamed

Before I could even process what I was witnessing, the book began to shrivel, curling at the edges as it withered away. few seconds later it lay lifeless in my hands, apparently dead… of suffocation.

-- Does that make sense to you? -- the white man asked, folding his arms with an amused expression.

I stared at the remains of the book before replying.

You have a point. It doesn't make sense. I mean, it's basically a newborn, and I've never seen a newborn talk like that… -

The white glowing man sighed heavily, dragging a palm down his face as if physically pained by my response.

-- That's not the point, Leon. -- He paused, glaring at me like I'd missed something obvious. -- It had a mouth. Why didn't it just breathe through its mouth instead of screaming and complaining about its missing nose? --

- o, are you implying that I should stop complaining and just do the quest? - I asked, raising an eyebrow.

The white man paused, his hand halfway to scratching his head.

-- What do you mean? -- he asked, tilting his head slightly.

Like, you used that example to tell me to stop complaining and just do what I'm supposed to do. Isn't that your point? -

The white man's movement froze for a moment, as if he is buffering. Then he quickly nodded.

-- Uh... yes! Yes, exactly! That's totally what I meant. Stop complaining, do the quest. Look at you, figuring it out on the first try. Brilliant. --

He nodded enthusiastically, as if trying to convince himself as much as me, then turned abruptly and started walking toward the door.

-- Honestly, I'm impressed, Leon. You're a fast learner. Yep, just like I planned. -- He muttered the last part under his breath, waving vaguely behind him as the room dissolved back into the endless white void.

As the scenery faded, the white man stood once more in the endless void.

-- Kidding aside, you should act fast, Leon. They're approaching. You need to go back now. --

Before I could reply, the white man vanished, and the white void collapsed into darkness, as if someone had just switched off the light.

Suddenly, I felt my eyelids heavy, but there. My eyes were closed. Slowly, I opened them. My head was submerged underwater. It seemed my body had slid down into the tub while I slept.

- sigh, This tub is far too big for me. -

I stood up, shivering slightly, and used wind magic to dry myself off.

When I stepped out of the bathroom, I noticed my dry clothes neatly folded and waiting for me. Stella must have prepared them while I was bathing.

After dressing, I wandered through the house, looking for her.

The place was spotless, completely cleaned despite the mess from earlier.

Mom! - I called out.

-- I'm here, Leon, outside. -- she shouted back.

I followed her voice and found her in the backyard, burning the demon's body. The acrid smell of smoke and charred flesh filled the air.

Suddenly, a loud noise erupted from inside the house.

Stella and I exchanged a glance before rushing back in.

Standing in the middle of the room was Ishla, her body covered in cuts and bruises. Her knees trembled, barely holding her weight.

Stella immediately rushed to her side, steadying her before she could collapse.

-- Leon... they caught me... -- Ishla's voice was faint, her breath labored. -- I tried to steal the Curse Petal... but I failed. Stella, both of you need to escape now. I'll use the last of my strength to teleport you to the Tlauven Kingdom's border. --

-- No, I stay here. Leon, you should go with Ishla. -- Stella's tone was firm, commanding.

But Ishla shook her head weakly.

-- I'm already wounded, Stella. There's no guarantee I'll survive if I teleport with Leon. -- She coughed violently, blood trickling from the corner of her mouth. She staggered as she began casting a magic circle on the ground. -- This is the biggest circle I can manage. Both of you need to get inside. --

The magic circle flickered, glowing faintly, but then it vanished as Ishla collapsed to her knees, gasping for breath.

Without hesitation, Stella used wind magic to lift Ishla and lay her gently on the bed. Her hands glowed as she cast healing magic, trying to mend Ishla's wounds.

The room was tense, the air thick with dread.

And then I detect A massive number of people were approaching, i can detect their steps, i focus on detecting how many people are coming.

the number...

the number.. is beyond the initial number of soldiers that came to this village

423 people are coming this way and still counting.

- they're coming. - I said, my voice low but urgent.

Stella's hands faltered for a moment as she processed my words. Then, her eyes sharpened with resolve.

-- Leon, listen to me. No matter what happens, you need to be ready. --

Stella immediately rushed outside, she stood at the front of the house, waiting for them...