The Born One

Roel is loved by everyone. With a setting where he always makes a good first impression and is easily liked, Roel is close to a munchkin not only in terms of power but also in relationships. On top of that, he has a naturally handsome appearance and a personality that makes everyone feel comfortable. It’s as if Roel himself was born to be loved.

That kind of setting was a manifestation in writing of my own dark desires, as I had no friend to confide my pent-up feelings to, and I had never been easily liked by anyone without effort. I was so shy that I thought the ability to easily become close to people was a natural talent, and I couldn’t easily become close to anyone without effort.

Imagination can be a good weapon for a writer whose job is to fabricate lies, but in human relationships, it has the disadvantage of creating countless worries, speculations, and hypotheses at will, causing mental fatigue. Like a frog dying from a carelessly thrown stone, I had a bad habit of arbitrarily assigning meaning to passing words and expanding worries. That created the worst situation in relationships, and I became isolated in the depression I created myself.

Therefore, I projected my ideal onto Roel. As a protagonist who easily gains the favor of others, is loved as a matter of course, and receives pats and cuddles from those around him. It was cliché, but he was also a utilitarian hero who would sacrifice himself for others.

Unlike my life full of lies, I wanted Roel to always live honestly with a true self. Unlike me, who only wrote stories out of half-baked jealousy and only thought about making money by forcibly stretching the story, Roel even had a sincere goal of becoming a hero for everyone.

Because he was a person with the opposite tendencies to me, I could understand Roel even better. Anyone can observe a mirror image.

So, I found Roel, who acted out a precarious situation in the game, very unfamiliar. Even if there was a difference in skill, Roel always approached sparring or combat seriously. Rather than the grand term of sportsmanship, it was closer to the respect Roel had for his opponent. Although it wasn’t an officially recognized setting, he maintained that attitude until the end of the novel.

I didn’t think it suited Roel to be hypocritical or pretentious towards others. Hypocrisy and pretense suit me, but they are clothes that don’t fit Roel.

So, what could be the reason why Roel acted strangely? If I thought about it for a moment, I could recall that there were several clear differences between the original world and the current world.

The biggest one is that Roel has entered the realm of a Transcender, unlike the original. Originally, the story was that the Transcendence Academy would be helplessly defeated by the academy alliance’s joint attack, but Roel’s overwhelming power would lead to a thrilling come-from-behind victory.

But becoming a Transcender might have changed Roel’s thinking. But even if he had more leeway than before, I didn’t think Roel, as I knew him, would deliberately induce a precarious situation to draw applause from the audience. Because that was ‘deception,’ which Roel hated and avoided.

Then, my existence, which is one of the other clear differences, might be the problem. The fact that Ross, who should have retired with death in the original story, participated in the triathlon changed Roel’s behavior… that also made me scratch my head. The basic question of whether Roel needed to do that in the first place was not resolved.

Questions and anxieties swirl in my head. I took a deep breath at the unresolved questions.

After all the events of the second day of the triathlon were over, everyone headed to the cafeteria together. There was talk about the team event that would take place tomorrow, but I couldn’t concentrate on the conversation and quietly observed Roel.

The unfamiliar appearance of Roel that I had seen through the relay magic had disappeared, and he had returned to the Roel who was always so clingy that it was annoying. He occupied both sides of me with Ellie, and continued to talk non-stop as if a bomb would explode on his neck if the conversation stopped.

The topic of conversation went from last year’s triathlon to a description of a newly opened cafe in the capital these days. Everyone around me was enjoying themselves and focusing on Roel’s story, but I forced a smile and tried to figure out what had changed about Roel in my head.

…But that effort failed. The current Roel was the Roel I knew. I even wondered if I was mistaken, seeing him subtly push delicious food in front of me in the middle of the conversation. The current Roel seemed ready to feed me if I opened my mouth.

The way Roel treated me hadn’t changed. Then, I thought that the reason Roel acted might be an external problem unrelated to me.

In order for everyone to reach a happy ending, the protagonist Roel was the most important thing. Because he was the hero who would defeat the Demon King. Before a sudden variable grew huge and revealed itself, I had to prepare for the shock that was coming.

I finished my meal roughly, and struggled to shake off Roel, who still had something to say even after all that talking and tried to hold onto me with a regretful face, and came out of the cafeteria.

To meet the person who would most sensitively notice Roel’s change, I quickly looked around the academy, which was in the middle of a festival. After wandering around for a long time with my tired body, I finally found Rosalyn drinking honey beer at a secluded shop.

She is a stalker who knows Roel the best along with me in this world. Rosalyn records even the smallest details about Roel. If Roel had really changed, she would have been the first to notice.

Rosalyn, who had her breasts, bigger than her head, on the table and was sipping beer, had a slightly red face as if she was drunk.

,Rosalyn-seonbae.”

As I called her name and approached, I met the eyes of the person sitting across from Rosalyn. It’s Estelle, her face full of blush. It seems that the setting that she is Rosalyn’s friend is still the same.

,Ehh…? Ross, long time no see~!”

I greeted Rosalyn, who was drawing out the ends of her words as if she was acting cute because she was drunk, and took the empty chair. Ignoring Estelle, who lowered her head as she met my gaze, I asked Rosalyn directly.

,Has anything happened to hyung during the vacation?”

At my question, Rosalyn bit her lip as if she was worried and looked at the ceiling. After staring blankly for a while, Rosalyn slowly lowered her gaze and answered.

,Not really…?”

As she drooped her shoulders, Rosalyn’s breasts, which she had placed on the table, swayed and attracted my attention. With difficulty, I turned my gaze away and asked again.

,…Then, don’t you think hyung has changed lately? His personality, or suddenly he has a different hobby…?”

At my question, Rosalyn pouted her lips. Rosalyn said as if she was asserting.

,There’s no such thing. My love, Roel, doesn’t change! That’s why he’s even better…! He’s nice to everyone, and he’s kind to people like me, too…”

Suddenly, Rosalyn trailed off, then looked at me with slightly focused eyes.

,…Roel hasn’t been sleeping much lately.”

I was wondering if reducing sleep should also be considered a change, when Rosalyn frowned as if it was difficult to explain and added.

,He’s been reducing his sleep time and date time and increasing his training time… so Flavia has been acting even more grumpy lately… bad bitch. Anyway, isn’t that a change… he’s become more diligent…”

Looking at Rosalyn drinking honey beer, I was lost in thought for a moment.

It’s definitely strange. Originally, Roel in the second semester of the second year focused more on his relationship with the heroines than on training. It was a time when he was focused on sex with Rosalyn or Flavia rather than training.

Such a Roel is focusing on training…? He became a Transcender faster than expected, but he is not satisfied with his realm. I felt a strange sense of incongruity there.

Roel had no reason to become stronger now. The Order is focusing on the Saintess, and the Emperor and the Church are still far from appearing. There is nothing threatening Roel’s safety. There is a strong enemy that even the current Roel would have a hard time overcoming, but even that existence has not yet been revealed.

But Roel is constantly striving to become stronger. Why? As I was organizing my thoughts, Rosalyn suddenly grabbed my hand. I trembled without realizing it at the soft and warm touch.

Rosalyn, who was looking at me with hazy eyes because she was drunk, said as if she was mumbling.

,Ross… please. Be kind to Roel. Roel always feels guilty towards you.”

Giving strength to the hand she was holding, Rosalyn breathed on my face, spreading the sweet smell of honey beer.

,Roel is your family.”

With those words, Rosalyn put her head on the table as it was. I took out the hand I was holding and let out a sigh.

,…Family, huh.”

The fact that it was the only string that connected the two of us, who didn’t suit each other… I strangely resented it.