This Damn Possession
If possession happens to be in your life plan, be mindful of these three things.
First, understand the disposition of the possession target. Second, be aware of the possession target’s role in the story. And third, carefully examine the timing of the possession.
Of course, there’s no way to know in advance. Even if you did know, it’s not like you could choose. Life isn’t that kind.
I also possessed without any time to prepare…
“His Imperial Majesty the Emperor… didn’t smash his wine glass? No matter how I look at it, I can’t get used to it…”
“…Oh Goddess, I must have lived too long.”
“Why on earth won’t the Head Butler of the annex accept resignations!”
“That person was the first one to pack up saying they’d quit, you know?”
“Good grief, damn it.”
As you can see, it’s complete chaos.
I looked at the trembling servants and smiled inwardly.
‘Crazy bastard. How the hell did you live your life…’
Swallowing a sigh, I opened my lips.
“Hey.”
At that, starting with the maid closest to me, those who had been helping with my meal began kneeling on the floor one after another.
“I-I’m sorry!”
“We’re truly sorry, Your Imperial Majesty.”
“A crime worthy of death… no, no, in any case, we’re truly sorry.”
“We did something wrong, whatever it was!”
As apologies flew out at the level of conditioned reflexes, echoing loudly throughout the dining hall, my already uncomfortable mood became even more uncomfortable.
“Hah…”
Traitor, arrogant bastard, demon, playboy, scoundrel, trash, betrayer, capricious bastard, swindler.
Achille Lowyn Fel Betius.
That’s me.
***
I possessed into my younger sister’s draft work, <Pavane for a Dead Princess>.
How did I end up possessing it?
I don’t know. It was because the last scenes I remember were scattered in all directions like puzzle pieces.
A child crying hysterically. Body heat that passed by as if brushing against me. A pure white light that engulfed me in an instant. A noise and screams so loud my ears went numb…
After that, darkness suddenly came, and when I came to my senses, I was here. Since I’d been unconscious, there was no way I could know the circumstances of crossing worlds—no, dimensions.
Then how did I know this was the world inside <Pavane for a Dead Princess>? I had no choice but to know. It was a world far too familiar to wander around not knowing.
So that my young and clumsy younger sister could write this novel to the end, I spared no advice or questions. I even recommended this title.
Unlike that heartless brat who fell into an endless dream with no thought of waking up, I remembered even that kid’s handwriting, carefully written down line by crooked line.
Hearing it like this, it might sound coincidental and remarkable, but not particularly bad.
However, that’s not actually the case.
‘I’m properly screwed.’
First. The character I possessed is the problem.
‘Achille Lowyn Fel Betius’—the worst villain in the story. Not satisfied with throwing hysterical fits as easily as breathing and fighting with everyone he meets, he’s a cowardly traitor who lives selfishly and doesn’t even die a natural death. The protagonist of this novel even stabs him to death with a sword. It’s only natural that I’m not pleased about a future of dying horribly.
And second. I have to go back.
My life isn’t mine alone. My younger sister, who lost both parents early, has no other adult to rely on but me. If I, her guardian, leave my post so irresponsibly like this, who will rush over when the kid says they’re sick, and who will stay by their side at the end?
‘I don’t have time to be doing this here.’
So as soon as my dazed mind returned, that was the one thought I had. I have to return to the world I originally lived in, to South Korea.
But how?
Though a feeling of helplessness welled up, I couldn’t just sit still. I jumped up and began pacing around the room, wracking my brain with all my might.
Think. Think, damn it. Remember anything.
After several minutes of racking my brain hard enough to feel a throbbing headache, my vision suddenly blurred dizzily, and pale blue letters floated up in the air.
[Your inquiry has been received.]
“…What?”
Startled, I stumbled backward and my elbow knocked against a vase. Crash! As the sharp sound of shattering spread through the room, a restless voice was heard from beyond the door.
“Y-Your Imperial Majesty. Is something wrong?”
Before the terrified attendant could come inside, I urgently shouted.
“No!”
I was worried that if anyone came, these letters floating before my eyes might disappear. Not wanting to be disturbed, I continued shouting in a sharp voice.
“Nothing’s wrong. Don’t come in!”
Fortunately, the attendant, who didn’t want to receive my—no, ‘Achille’s’—hysteria with their whole body, didn’t force the door open.
I stared at the rectangular window flickering like a ghost with my face scrunched up.
So, this is just like…
‘It looks like a game system window.’
As soon as I had that thought, things that looked like pop-up windows began appearing one after another, filling my vision.
[Welcome!]
[The optimal choice for protecting the user’s soul! The best guide for a pleasant journey!]
[Be with a safe companion, just for you who are lost!]
As I glared at the things bobbing up and down as if wanting to express their welcome, I whispered inwardly.
‘A guide?’
[That’s right. It’s a small and kind authority prepared for you.]
As the confusion that had been making my insides noisy subsided, a clear intuition arose.
Right, this is it.
If it’s this thing that arbitrarily hears my inner thoughts, it probably knows why I ended up entering this world.
‘It’d be even better if it told me how to go back.’
I stared intently at the system window with desperation.
“Right. You, who say you’re prepared for me. Hurry up and demonstrate that authority or whatever it is.”
Then the pale blue window began shaking wildly. It looked like it was shaking its head, and also like it was trembling.
“Do it within the count of ten.”
[Wai—]
I counted at the fastest speed I could.
“Ten. Nine. Eight. Seven. Six.”
[Wait a moment!]
[.·´¯(>▂<)´¯·.]
Even crying won’t help. Not my problem.
“Five. Four. Three. Two. One.”
I shamelessly held out my hand.
“Hurry and send me back to my original world.”
[Your inquiry cannot be processed.]
[It’s impossible right now!]
In other words, it means it knows the method. And that I can go back. However, for some reason, it’s impossible ‘right now.’
‘Then it seems conditions are needed.’
I waved the hand I’d extended toward the air again.
“Explain exactly why it’s not possible, and tell me what I need to do to make it possible. Right now.”
There’s a trick I gained through a life of going through all kinds of trials and tribulations. It’s that it’s good to accomplish everything according to three standards. Clearly, swiftly, and cleanly.
The system window trembled violently and then crumbled away. But the blue light didn’t disappear right away and hovered anxiously around me, then soon displayed a new window.
It was as if it were deliberating what to say. It seemed like it was trying to explain accurately, and on the other hand, it also seemed like it was gauging the scope of what it could tell me.
[The user’s body is broken and soul is damaged, so you cannot return to your original world.]
[Your body recognized that □□ as □□.]
[□ □□ □□ □□□?]
[□□ □ □□□.]
[□□□ □□ □□ □ □ □□□□.]
[□□ □ □□□ □□□ □□□□……]
I couldn’t make out even half of it. No, it seemed I shouldn’t make it out.
The system window that had been floating shattered into pieces, and then system windows began appearing haphazardly, enough to fill my entire vision.
[Interference from an ‘Unknown Power’ has been detected.]
[The ‘Existence That Devours Death’ is taking notice of your existence.]
[Stabilization in progress……]
[Loading ‘Worldview’……]
[Searching ‘Major Events’……]
[Collecting ‘Fragments of Authority’……]
[Checking user’s soul state.]
[Confirming user’s mental state.]
[Checking user’s physical state.]
Finally, a new window sparkled and appeared at the top.
[Recovery Status: □□□□□□□□□□]
“Express it in exact numbers.”
At my command, the system window trembled and changed it to numbers.
[Recovery Status: 00.00%]
To summarize, it’s like this.
I possessed into the novel my younger sister was writing, <Pavane for a Dead Princess>, and I met a guide who recognized my existence and could help me.
Naturally, I demanded to be sent back immediately, but the guide refused, citing insufficient ‘recovery.’
‘The reason that’s needed is…’
The one line that had bothered me most among the contents of the numerous system windows I’d just read came to mind.
[The user’s body is broken and soul is damaged, so you cannot return to your original world.]
Apparently, the me in the original world seems to be dead.
