» [STABILIZING]: Regaining control...
» 3... 2... 1...
Gasp!—
'My' fingers finally let go. My neck was still bleeding, and the persistent sensation of my windpipe being obstructed was hard to ignore.
I am... In shock...
My hands were shaking, I felt weak...
I thought I was going to die...
The girl: she supported me, helping me sit next to a wall, then sat right beside me.
I just looked at her, unsure of what to say.
She had a pale complexion and wore a blazer in red-black formal colors—a student. Her hair was pinkish red? It shifted hues depending on the angle and lighting.
She's attractive to say the least.
Her eyes were a soft light purple, filled with tears dripping down her cheeks. Her frame was petite, and she had noticeably slender legs.
Then I felt her hand touch mine, she was inspecting my injured right hand. All this time, she had been speaking.
But my mind wasn't there at all. The retaliation from Luden's soul made it hard to properly use my five senses.
She seemed to calm down, not wanting to spread panic. Then she stood up and went to the drawer, where the clear vial that cured my status had been placed.
She rummaged through it. If my memory serves me right, that drawer contained medicinal items. But then I asked myself:
Why did this body compel me to drink the cure?
If it really wanted to die… wouldn't it have just choked me the moment I swallowed the poison?
» [SYSTEM]: Luden's survival instinct was still intact, the transmigration wasn't perfect.
» It took both Luden's body and soul a moment to realize it was being possessed.
I was speechless...
As I watch the girl, trying her best to find medicine for me, here I am flooded by guilt that I took over the body of someone who I assumed was important to her.
» [NOTICE]: Player—the lives of these people are irrelevant to the mission.
» [PRIMARY OBJECTIVE]: Ascend the Tower of Babel and reach the Terminal at the summit.
» Log Out, Exit Life: your destiny...
I can achieve that goal while staying true to my emotions, system...
» [REMINDER]: All progress is null if you fail to maintain Sanity...
Maintaining sanity? Do remind me again how that thing works—
» [SYSTEM NOTICE: SANITY FUNCTION OVERVIEW]:
» SANITY: Measures your mental stability while interfacing with the Tower's reality layer. Lower values increase risk of system malfunction and mental collapse.
[SANITY STATUS TIERS]:
» 60+ Stable Levels: No Penalties.
» 50–59 Mild Strain: Emotional instability may occur.
» 20–49 Unstable:
– Hallucinations.
– UI Distortion.
– Triggers 'Special Penalties'
» 1–19: Critical Level
– Severe Mental Toll.
– System Behavior unpredictable,
– System may turn hostile towards the player.
– Special Penalties Intensified.
» 0: Cognitive Collapse
– Death imminent. Memory Core corruption irreversible.
» Future cycles compromised.
---
Turn hostile against me? Why is that a thing?...
I know this isn't my first cycle... The fact that I wasn't allowed to create a new character, combined with my inconsistent memory, makes that clear.
If I fail again in this cycle, I fear the next, will be so damaged that I may not be able to go on.
» [SYSTEM TIP]:
» Keep SANITY above 60 for optimal performance.
» Avoid or immediately execute enemies that can inflict sanity damage.
» The Sanity System is affected by your environment, mental state, and may also be altered by third parties.
» Use restoration items or mental support when needed.
» [That woman in front of you can help—]:
Did the system just tell me to take advantage of her?
What an unforgiving cycle.
I have to deal with stealing someone else's life.
If I were given a chance to make my own character, it would be someone powerful, someone who doesn't need to rely on others capabilities.
Yet here I am, already dying on the floor.
"Lud, here—let me." the girl said as she approached, carrying a medicinal bag. She sat beside me again, administering first aid on my bloodied right hand. She cleaned the wound with alcohol, though I didn't feel any sting.
She wrapped it in bandages, then gently dabbed the blood dripping from my neck with a clean white cloth.
"Say something—what happened? What were you doing?!" she asked. Her tone was concerned but soft-spoken. She didn't seem angry... her calmness felt too unusual.
Was she used to this?
Is she some kind of support class?
But what am I supposed to say? I can't exactly admit I hijacked this body and that its original soul tried to resist.
I opened my mouth—trying to speak, but…
Why is it painful to utter a word?
My throat… it's too sore…
» [NOTICE]: The poison vial dealt minor harm to your vocal cords. It will take a while for them to heal...
She patted my shoulder gently as she sat beside me, her eyes so soft.
"Please don't do that again..." she whispered, her hand shaking ever so slightly, though her face tried to stay composed.
This wasn't the first time, was it?
» [NOTICE]: Luden's body shows signs of repeated self-inflicted injuries.
That was hard to fathom—too morbid.
It painted Luden as someone who might have struggled with self-harm...
What pushed him that far?
Although this girl, her personality seems caring and sweet. Once my throat heals, I have so many questions to ask her.
"You don't have to worry anymore," she said. "As long as you prove your loyalty to the Leon Kingdom, they won't execute you."
.....???
Execute?! What does she mean?!
What did Luden do?!
I tried to speak, but it came out as a strained blurt.
"Lud, are you having a hard time speaking?" She leaned closer, inspecting my throat—then suddenly, her expression shifted into shock, like she had just smelled something foul.
Abruptly, she stood up, startling me.
She looked around, scanning the room, then her eyes landed on the desk I had woken up on.
Slowly, she walked toward it, gaze fixed on the vial.
She picked it up, smelled it—then looked back at me.
"Did you... drink this?"
With no voice, I could only nod in response.
---
She couldn't believe what she saw. She lifted the vial to her nose again, sniffed—then her brows furrowed.
She sighed—
"Luden... Why?"
She assumed it was suicide—
But then multiple thoughts crossed her mind:
1. If Luden wanted to commit suicide, the poison alone would be enough. Why would he need to choke himself too?
2. And the cure potion in the drawer had just been consumed—by him.
3. He poisoned himself, drank the cure, then choked himself?
4. And what about the broken mirror and his injured hand? None of it made sense to her.
---
I couldn't meet her eyes. Even if I'm not truly Luden, the heart in this body carried too much guilt.
She sighed—
All I could do was stare at the broken mirror, my shattered hand… and feel the remnants of Luden's soul still clinging to this body.
What a spawn point...
She didn't press further, noticing I couldn't even speak. Instead, she stepped forward again and gently helped me to my feet.
"Lud, in half an hour you'll be talking directly to the king—"
...?? King?
...?? Talk?
"I can't have you looking like this," she whispered. "Please, don't hurt yourself anymore—" she said In a defeated tone.
..?? What the hell is happening?
"Focus on convincing the king that you're on humanity's side—"
HUH?!!!
"After all, you saved me, a human, this is the least I can do for you..."
Aren't I human too??!!!
"What's with the shocked face?" she asked.
"I won't ask why you drank that vial—you must have your reasons. But Luden, you have so much to prove," she said, her voice sincere.
"Just don't do that again, okay?"
I looked at her and nodded.
So much care and patience...
My light crimson eyes met her light purple irises. We were really close to one another, as she carried me with her shoulder.
She smelled nice—like melon-scented.
I didn't realize how silky her hair was. What kind of shampoo was she using? She could be a model or something.
But why is my heart beating? Are these Luden's emotions? Or mine?
Without even noticing, we stared at each other for far too long—
"Uhm! Let's just go! Hang on..." she said, breaking eye contact.
I nodded again in agreement. We walked down a hallway, multiple students in the same formal black-red clothing crossed our path.
But what am I missing...?
Some of them looked at us with disgust... Our path was blocked by a girl in glasses, and upon noticing who it was, she immediately walked away in a panic.
A lot of them didn't want to make eye contact with me. And the looks they gave the girl helping me... they looked at her with judgemental eyes.
We continued walking...
"Not used to it yet, Lud?" she spoke, barely above a whisper.
Again, she talks like I'm a different race. Are the people here just racist by default? Racist against dudes with crimson eyes and ghostly pale skin...
Now that I think about it...
I look way too different...
Then I noticed—there are elves here, and people with cat ears. They aren't being treated the same way as me.
Why is everyone looking at me like I'm a monster?
What's the meaning of this?!
"Don't pay them any attention. Today you'll show everyone that you're not a threat, and soon they'll realize you're here to stand with us."
I looked at her with confused eyes. I hope she could tell through my expression that I wanted answers.
"Lud, I will never shun you like them," she said...
"Because I know that you're a good—"
"—Banshee."
Chapter End.