That afternoon—
Zeo sat alone on a bench beneath the bridge.
The sound of water flowed quietly nearby.
But—
his mind was somewhere else.
She died.
His fingers tightened.
"…Why…?"
Soft footsteps approached.
A young girl sat beside him.
Zeo turned—
and froze.
Princess Akidna.
Disguised as an ordinary girl.
Yet—
her presence couldn't be hidden.
Beautiful.
Calm.
His eyes widened.
She met his gaze.
A small smile forming.
"I'm just a normal girl passing by… okay?"
He said nothing.
But he understood.
So he stayed silent.
For a moment—
nothing was said.
Then she spoke again.
"You look sad…"
A pause.
"Care to share?"
She didn't push.
Just waited.
"…I knew someone."
"…who died yesterday."
His voice was low.
Heavy.
Her expression stilled for a second.
"…and she died because of me."
Akidna looked at him.
Concern in her eyes.
"Why would you think that?"
Zeo stood.
He walked toward the river—
and stopped.
His reflection stared back at him.
"She went on a mission…"
"…to fight monsters and hunters outside the country."
His voice trembled.
"She faced a battle she couldn't win…"
"…but she didn't show weakness."
His eyes dimmed.
"She stood her ground…"
"…like someone truly brave."
A pause.
"…just because someone said something to her."
His chest tightened.
Regret.
Guilt.
Akidna stepped beside him.
"That was her decision."
Her voice was soft—
but steady.
"And maybe…"
"…she achieved what she wanted in her final moment."
Zeo's eyes shifted.
"She saved over twenty mercenaries."
"…gave them time to call for reinforcements."
His body stiffened.
"…What?"
"She died as a brave warrior."
Silence.
Something inside him—
loosened.
"…Maybe…"
He exhaled slowly.
"…maybe that's how she wanted to leave this world."
A faint smile.
"I hope…"
"…you're proud of yourself."
He turned slightly.
"…Thank you, princ—"
A finger touched his lips.
He froze.
She stepped back.
Hands behind her back.
Smiling.
"As I said…"
"…I'm just a normal girl passing by."
For the first time—
Zeo smiled.
And she walked away.
Silence returned.
Zeo watched the direction she left.
"…Princess Akidna."
"The savior of her kingdom…"
A pause.
"…the one who mattered more than even the main character."
His fingers tightened again.
"I came to this world… before the story began."
His thoughts aligned.
"Right now… the real protagonist is still in his village."
"With his friend."
A shadow crossed his eyes.
"She gets taken."
"Brought here."
"He follows them…"
"…and meets Akidna."
"…when she's already dying."
Zeo's jaw clenched.
"She gives him everything."
"Her duty."
"Her kingdom."
"…because war is coming."
"An alliance of three kingdoms…"
"…ready to invade."
His gaze hardened.
"And Akidna…"
"She was a genius."
"A treasure."
"At nine years old…"
"…she created the Night Watchers."
"A hidden force…"
"…meant to protect this kingdom."
He walked forward.
Slow.
"As she grew stronger…"
"…she uncovered betrayal."
"Her own brother…"
"…working with a neighboring kingdom."
"To overthrow everything."
A bitter breath escaped him.
"She tried to stop it…"
"…but three kingdoms united."
"And when the protagonist arrives—"
"…she dies."
Silence.
"When she's assassinated…"
"…the Night Watchers are left behind."
"In his hands."
"And only later…"
"…does he learn the truth."
"About her."
"Her choices."
"Her sacrifices."
"…a second story hidden inside the first."
Zeo's eyes began to glow faintly.
"But now…"
"I'm here before all of that."
A slow breath.
"That means…"
"I can change it."
His grip tightened.
"I can save her."
His voice hardened.
"I won't let her die."
He turned—
and walked into the forest.
Deeper.
Far from everything.
Until—
he reached a hidden cave.
Darkness stretched inside.
"To assassinate her…"
"…they're already here."
"Disguised as mercenaries."
His eyes darkened.
"The same ones…"
"…who were 'saved' during the monster attack."
A pause.
"…by Carla."
Silence.
"But in truth…"
"They were the ones who killed her."
"And used it as cover."
"To enter this kingdom."
"To eliminate the one person…"
"…who could stop the war."
Zeo stepped to the edge of a cliff.
Below—
men moved in the shadows.
Digging.
Working.
A tunnel.
A hidden path.
His eyes burned.
Dark.
Blue… and black.
"But this time…"
"I know everything."
"I may not have experience…"
"…but I have something better."
His gaze sharpened.
"I have the story."
A window appeared before him.
He stared.
At a single title.
World Creator.
Zeo's eyes darkened.
"…Let's rewrite this story."
Below—
one of the mercenaries suddenly stopped.
"…Did you feel that?"
A chill spread through the cave.
Zeo stepped forward.
And jumped.
"This time… you don't get to kill her."