The Fraudulent Protagonist Resumes His Travels (3)

The pure white space. The Wuxia God looked down upon the fused world and burst into hearty laughter.

"Kuh-kuh-kuh! Look at that! It ended without a single problem—"

Thud! Wham! Smack!

"Guh, guh-ack! W-wait a second…!"

"Shut your mouth! You uncouth swordsman! What nonsense did you pull while I was gone?!"

"S-say it with words! Things worked out fine in the end, didn't they…?!"

The Wuxia God, mounted and pummeled by the Ability God, was taking a merciless beating. He tried desperately to block her fists, but her strikes phased straight through his guard and slammed directly into his face.

"You deserve every hit! You nearly let Arty get attacked by that man!"

"M-Modern God! Magic God! Save me~!"

Realizing he couldn't stop her alone, the Wuxia God screamed for help. Yet the Modern God and Magic God, watching right beside them, merely looked on with expressions of utter disdain.

"Serves you right."

"Exactly. Balance of power, my foot. You were completely outmatched."

"B-but! Excessive internal consistency is one of the biggest killers of interesting stories! A story needs unexpected singularities to stay engaging—guh-ack!"

"Like you have any right to talk!"

The Ability God's assault continued for quite some time.

****

Knock. Knock. Knock.

Someone had come to Joyeon's room.

"Who could it be at this hour…? I'll go check."

With Sosia gone and Arty already inside, Tiasia opened the door with a puzzled look, wondering who would visit at such a time.

Click.

'Tiasia, you're already here.'

The visitors were Jack and the other followers. Tiasia was startled—she hadn't known they had begun moving as a group without her knowledge.

"Everyone, why have you gathered so suddenly? Is something wrong?"

Click.

'Master called for us. He said to gather everyone.'

"Master did?"

After hearing May's words, Tiasia let the followers inside and approached Joyeon to ask why he had summoned them.

"Master? Why did you call everyone…?"

"Ah, we're leaving now."

"Now? From the hospital? At this hour?"

"This is the best time. Otherwise Mom will definitely catch us."

"…Don't tell me you're planning to sneak out?"

"Yep."

Joyeon had gone to bed unusually early precisely so he could slip out during the quiet late-night hours when foot traffic was low.

"Must you really do it this way? Lady Sosia will worry."

"Even so, I can't stay. No matter what I say, she'll try to stop me. This is the only way. I'll just break the curse and come right back. Once she sees it's not that dangerous, she'll understand."

Joyeon opened the window wide as he spoke. He had no intention of using the stairs—he planned to jump straight out.

After leaning out to gauge the height, he called to Arty without pulling his head back in.

"Arty, what are you going to do?"

"Huh? Me?"

"Yeah. Mom said going outside could be dangerous, so you don't have to stick with me if you don't want to."

"Ah, um…"

Arty, who had naturally assumed she would go with him, felt a brief pang of disappointment mixed with gratitude at his consideration.

Before she could answer, Joyeon spoke again.

"Of course, I'd rather you came with me."

"Huh? Really?"

"Yeah. I like having you around. I'm already used to it."

Arty's expression softened at his words, which were as good as permission.

"Won't I just be a bother? I'm unlucky, so I'll probably cause trouble…"

"…? Where did all your usual confidence go? You should be saying something like, 'You should be grateful that someone as pretty as me is coming along.' Right, Lara?"

"Of course. I was actually more surprised that Master even asked. Accompanying Arty is only natural."

Arty beamed at their playful replies.

"Hehe! Don't worry—I have no intention of letting go even if you don't beg me to take you!"

****

"[An apple falling to ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the ground is causality; twisting it is the true beginning of magic.]"

Reciting the incantation, Joyeon scooped Arty up in a princess carry and stepped onto the windowsill. Though Arty already knew what he intended, she still tightened her arms around his neck with a hint of nervousness.

A moment later, Joyeon leaped from the fifth-floor window.

With the combined weight of himself, Arty, and the two massive iron orbs, he plummeted rapidly toward the ground.

"[Reverse Gravity.]"

Just before impact, the spell activated. His descent slowed dramatically until he hovered motionless for a full second. When gravity finally reclaimed him, his speed was so reduced that both he and Arty landed safely and softly.

"Wow~ I've never seen you use other magic before."

"I didn't think I'd ever need this spell either. It's more useful than I expected."

Tiasia followed right after, leaping from the window.

Tap.

She landed with almost no sound at all. The rest of the followers simply entered their graves and reappeared beside them.

Joyeon scanned the surroundings warily, worried someone might be nearby.

"No one around… wait, there is someone…"

His Soul's Eye had detected a humanoid soul hidden among the bushes.

'What the hell are they doing out here at this hour?'

Frowning, Joyeon focused on the soul to identify it.

Rustle.

The figure stepped out of the bushes, apparently having noticed him as well.

To his utter shock, the soul belonged to none other than his mother, Sosia.

Joyeon's mouth fell open. He had never imagined she would appear from the bushes at this hour instead of the emergency room.

Sosia's gaze passed over him and settled on Arty.

"Arty, I'm disappointed in you."

"S-Saintess."

"Even after I spoon-fed you the warning, you still spat it out."

"……"

"…Still, I understand. It's not that you lack resolve—I'm the one who was being unreasonable."

Ending her one-sided conversation with Arty, Sosia turned to Joyeon.

"…Must you really do it this way?"

"Mmm~ If I don't, you'll just keep stopping me. You're doing it right now."

"I'm worried about you. You've always been far too curious since you were little. I've lost count of how many times my heart nearly stopped when you came home injured. Honestly, I wanted to keep you locked up… but I knew you'd hate that, so I couldn't."

"You know me well. If you had, I probably would've hated you."

"…So I'll ask you one last time. Can't you just stay at the hospital? Let's live here together. From now on, I won't keep my distance."

Sosia pleaded with genuine sincerity. Joyeon slowly shook his head.

"If you truly care about me, you should support me leaving."

"The outside world is truly dangerous. You never know what might be out ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠there."

"That's exactly why I have to go. If I stay here knowing nothing, how am I any different from savages living on an island? Right now, I need to move faster than everyone else. I need information and power that others don't have. At the very least, everyone I've met so far who was content with their situation didn't last long."

The outside was undoubtedly dangerous. Joyeon was confident in his own strength now, but he was equally certain that stronger beings existed. Still, knowing that fact was far better for survival than remaining ignorant. It would let him decide whether to run—or perhaps even become allies with such powerhouses. Staying holed up in the hospital and rejecting the outside world would never allow that.

"I'll go and come back. I'm not saying I won't return. I'll definitely come back."

"……"

Sosia stared at him in silence for a moment before turning and disappearing back into the bushes.

"…Lara, what do I do now?"

"I will always follow Master's decision."

"…Arty, what do you think?"

"I… don't know. I understand why the Saintess is worried, but staying here forever feels wrong too…"

"Kuh~ I knew this would happen, that's why I tried to sneak out quietly."

Joyeon scratched his head vigorously and was about to head out anyway when the bushes parted once more. Sosia emerged together with the Rion Party.

"Huh? Rion?"

"Ahaha… Hello."

"Why is Rion here…?"

"Joyeon."

"Yeah, huh?"

Sosia pulled him into a tight embrace, her face filled with genuine concern rather than her usual act. Joyeon stiffened in surprise.

"I knew you wouldn't listen to me. So this is my final request. I haven't known the Rion Party for long, but they're veteran adventurers from the magic world with strong convictions. They'll definitely fill in what you're lacking. Go with them."

Sosia had already anticipated that Joyeon would try to sneak out at night and prepared everything in advance.

"T-that's… but the road we're taking…"

"You don't need to worry about that, Joyeon. We ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠heard you're heading to a temple to remove those shackles. Coincidentally, we were also planning to go to Neveiria, the city with the largest temple nearby."

"Honestly, we'd be thrilled to have you with us."

"Yeah. A strong companion is always welcome."

"I… think it's a good idea too…"

The Rion Party was clearly delighted at the prospect of traveling with Joyeon, whose destination conveniently aligned with theirs.

There was no reason to refuse what Sosia had prepared. Joyeon awkwardly returned her hug.

"…I'll be back soon. I'll come back quickly."

"Don't get hurt. Don't do anything reckless like an idiot. If it looks dangerous, run without hesitation."

"Got it. Don't worry."

Sosia hugged him tightly once more before letting go. She then turned to Arty, who stood slightly apart.

"…Arty, I'm sorry for speaking so harshly earlier."

"Ah, no, Saintess. You were only saying that for my sake…"

"Thank you for understanding… Tiasia, I'm counting on you to protect Joyeon."

"Of course. I'll guard him with my very soul."

****

The director's office on the top floor of the hospital. From there, where the entire hospital grounds were visible, Sosia watched Joyeon disappear into the forest after finishing his preparations to leave.

"…He left after all. I was ready to do anything to stop him… I really have gotten weak. Only when it comes to Joyeon, though."

Alone in the office, Sosia muttered as if speaking to someone.

"I know better than anyone… that in this changed world, you need to know far more to survive. Yet because I was worried about Joyeon, I almost did something I shouldn't have."

Sosia ran her hand over the director's chair behind her. Sitting in it was the hospital director—now a cold, emaciated corpse that had been dead for over three months.

"When that child gets involved, nothing ever goes as planned… Dealing with you and taking over this hospital was so easy, but I can't stay calm when it comes to his tantrums… Is this what motherhood is?"

Sosia spoke such shocking words with complete nonchalance as she looked at the director.

"I prepared quite a bit to protect that child… but looking at it now, it seems rather insignificant."

Her status window possessed powerful titles and abilities that would have been impressive even if obtained in just three months—had the comparison not been Ju Joyeon.

After blankly staring at her status, Sosia realized ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Joyeon had completely vanished from view and closed the window.

"……I got a little emotional, unlike myself. I'll be going now. When Joyeon returns, I need to make the hospital even better so something like this never happens again."

Sosia steadied herself and returned to her usual persona as the Neutral Saintess.

"Rest well, Director. I'll drop by occasionally from now on as well."

She gave a slight bow to the director—who would have no one else to talk to from now on—and left the office.