As I was secretly hitching a ride, I noticed that time seemed to stop for a few seconds before the white window screen appeared and began writing:
—
Chapter 106: Unnamed
Chars head back to kingdom then to academy
Note - take out trash
—
"That's a really rough draft… take out trash?"
Shifting my attention, I wanted to discover more about myself. For example, how come I'm able to see Incus' status window? Are systems something that everyone can see?
No, if that was the case, then I would have summoned mine much earlier. I was also very curious as to why I could see the white window in the sky, which I deduced was a novel being written.
Straightening my back, I whispered:
"System open."
====[Status Window]====
「Information」
[Name: Ring Euclid]
[Class: Warrior]
[Equipment]
◈ Worn out tunic (Brown)
[Weapons]
◈ N/A
[Description]
「Attributes」
[Physical | lvl: 1.5]
[Stamina | lvl: 1.5]
[Intelligence | lvl: 3.5]
[Mana | lvl: 1]
「Skills」
[Basic Sword Technique]
[Unique skill: Kraken]
=======
"...My weapon slot is empty."
I picked up a rock, but it still remained the same. I grasped multiple things in my hands, but nothing overwrote my empty weapon slot. It seemed that things could only be registered as a weapon if they were widely agreed upon as something to be used in battle. But of course, it was currently just a theory. I would need to get my hands on something that could harm and be used multiple times.
Looking down at my status window, I saw that the description tab was missing. I tried clicking on it, but nothing happened. However, as I heavily focused my attention on it, it suddenly appeared.
====[Description]====
Ring Euclid. Growing up, he never had any friends because of his quiet attitude. After turning nineteen years old, he failed his university exams. While walking through the streets in depression, he attempted to save a cat from a tall building. However, he then fell harshly to the ground and died after landing on the top of his head, his body laying in the shallow end of a pond containing lotus flowers. After his death, he reincarnated to another world, where he was destined to defeat the demon lord.
Note - Scrap n replace with incus
========
After I finished reading it, a burning throb pulsed in the back of my head. Groaning, I gripped my temple, trying to soothe the pain, but it still burned.
Soon, it disappeared.
[Your intelligence has risen]
Coming to it, a pool of memories had appeared in my head. But as I focused on the memories, I could only recall the things that had been written in my description.
Despite the limited memories I regained, I was able to deduce that I was meant to be the main character, since I had been scrapped and replaced with Incus.
I believed that because I was meant to be the protagonist, a reincarnated from another world, I was able to perceive certain things and understand certain things.
Like how I instinctively knew how to operate a status window and what the white window in the sky was.
Staring at my description, I pitied the me who was meant to be.
Looking at my skills, I tilted my head.
[Basic Sword Technique]
[Unique skill: Kraken]
"Unique skill, Kraken?"
Staring at it, I imagined how fearsome the skill would be because of its name. It was likely a summon.
"It's probably the skill I was meant to have as the protagonist."
I wouldn't want to summon it here, as it might destroy the entire wagon. I also wouldn't want to know what would happen if I disrupted the novel, despite the fact that I was already disrupting it with my existence alone.
***
As the wagon went down the dirt road, nothing happened, as the author had written the journey in such simple words:
—
Chapter 106: Return to the City of Jansoara
…
Their journey back to the kingdom's city was uneventful, as Incus and Steinen had already slain the monsters when they were making their way to the village that requested help to deal with their orc issues.
And because of both of their non-outgoing personalities, they hadn't conversed much aside from small talk about the weather.
—
Yawning, I was grateful that we were going to the kingdom, at the very least, but I did wish that there would be something to interrupt the journey, like a goblin attack or something. But alas, the author in all their wisdom hadn't written one.
I should be grateful though, because I wasn't fighting for my life.
The only thing that occupied me was the white screen in the sky. Just as I was about to reach my breaking point from sheer and utter boredom, the draft suddenly began to write about Incus' inner thoughts.
—
Chapter 106: Return to the City of Jansoara
…
As Incus was looking off in the distance, her hair flowing like water.
'…Soon, I'll get out of this wretched world and go back to Earth. I wonder if my friends miss me. Once I defeat the Demon King and head back, I'll have to study a lot to make up for the amount of time I've missed. It's already been a little over half a year. I need to end this charade by then.'
She contemplated, basking in the sun.
—
A way out. I found a way to freedom. Since Incus was from another world and talked about heading back, there was a way to go to the real world.
Whenever the process happens, I'll simply swap places with her, whether I have to use force or not.
As time passed, the lush greenery that surrounded the dirt road disappeared, as the area gradually lacked grass. I also learned a few things about how the draft worked.
The author seemed to not bother editing the chapter, and the novel would occasionally pause until the actions written were caught up.
For example, if the novel wrote that "They walked for a few days" and then said that they arrived at a destination, the novel would pause until the characters being written arrived at that destination.
Looking over the crates, I saw towering walls come into view.
It was the city.
We were stopped momentarily at the tall and wide gates by guards who hid behind small openings halfway up the walls. The guards wore light armor with white and blue cloth underneath.
The gates opened after Steinen, the tall man clad in armor, negotiated with them.
Entering the gates, my mind was blown.
There were so many buildings that put the village to shame.
Stepping out of the wagon, I sneakily followed the two. I thought that I was going to get strange looks for what I was doing.
As I was assessing them, I noticed something.
They all looked somewhat the same, only differing by their hairstyles or hair color.
"Is that what background characters look like?"
Of course, I on the other hand looked more unique.
My hair had white on the top of my head, a fact that I learned when I pulled hair out of sheer boredom.
But I supposed that more important characters have more unique looking traits, like Incus who had a mole on opposite sides of her neck.
After walking for a while, the two then stopped.
"Finally, back at the academy." Incus sighed.
The academy was beautiful. It was large and tall with gates preventing people from touching the large, beautiful garden that it had.
Pulling out a metal card from under his chest plate, Steinen showed it to the watchman who stood on guard.
The watchman then pulled out a key from his pocket, which was attached to a chain. With the key in hand, he unlocked the gate and let them in.
I walked in as well, whistling a tune.
Thankfully, I wasn't stopped.
Walking inside a building that was situated beside the main building, I followed them into the living quarters.
Incus and Steinen split ways.
Following Incus, she entered her room. Of course I wouldn't want to invade her privacy, and when I tried opening her door, my body would freeze. Because of these restrictions, I broke the handle opposite of Incus' room and forced my way in.
Inside was a male student with a bland looking face.
"W-what the, who are you?" He stood up, dumbfounded.
"A background character."
After beating him to a pulp and throwing him out the door, I took his clothes and wore them.
The jacket's outside was black, but its inside was blue and white. It must have been this kingdom's signature colors.
I found it very comfortable.
When I closed the door, it was swaying, so I spent the rest of the day fixing it. I also found a set of keys in the front pocket of the academy's uniform, so I locked the door after repairing the handle.