A raven landed on a tall cedar tree and its black eyes reflected a small figure practicing magic nearby. It tilted its head and shook off some snow as it watched the clearing lit by magical light.
Year 2025 of the Rodran Kingdom, Winter. North Yankton, outskirts of the Silverpine Forest.
A bright purple [Magic Missile] curved through the air. It suddenly accelerated and dove forward, blowing a green Goblin into pieces as it tried to run into the forest.
Ice and flesh bloomed on the snow like a vibrant flower.
"Alright Princess, let's stop here for today." Luo Lan walked forward and wrapped a white fur cloak around the girl's shoulders. He moved gently and said, "It is late. Aria will scold us if we return home after dark."
"My Mana is still full. Is training really over for today?"
The girl looked up and her ruby eyes shimmered in the twilight.
"Let's... end it here," Luo Lan said. He felt a bit nervous and laughed while he looked away toward the distance. "There is an old saying in my hometown of Celis. Haste makes waste."
The boy turned to leave, but she grabbed his sleeve.
"Hmm?"
"My hands are cold."
Silverpine Forest was called that because everything turned white after winter arrived. The snow reflected the evening light and the entire world looked like cold silver.
The girl's silver hair flowed over her shoulders like moonlight and the tips of her hair trembled as she moved. Her porcelain face was flushed red from the cold. Her features were small and delicate, her lips were the color of pale cherry blossoms, and her ruby eyes made her look stunning.
She pursed her lips and waited for Luo Lan to answer.
"Don't just stand there in a daze," she whispered. "Warm my hands."
She did not wait for Luo Lan to object. She shoved her small hands into Luo Lan's hands and squeezed tight. Her hands were smooth and cold. Luo Lan felt like he was holding a block of ice.
"...I am a bit tired today," she said as she looked down. Her long lashes cast faint shadows on her face. "Let's walk a bit slower."
"Oh... okay."
The two of them walked through the snow and the soft drifts made a crunching sound under their feet.
"The Royal Ceremony in the capital starts in a few days. You will go with me, right?"
"I am sorry, Princess. I have some matters to handle before then..."
"Oh."
They fell back into silence and continued walking for a while. Eventually, a luxurious carriage appeared by the side of the road. The bronze bells on the carriage chimed in the wind.
Luo Lan tried to pull his hand away out of habit, but the girl locked her fingers with his.
"Princess?"
"I am the head of this house," she said with a clear voice. "You cannot do anything unless I allow it."
Luo Lan made a face and swallowed his words. He looked at the shadows they cast on the snow.
They reached the carriage and the waiting maids opened the door. They lowered the steps and bowed as they moved to the side.
The girl nodded and led Luo Lan into the carriage by his hand. The space inside was small. The velvet seats were soft and the charcoal fire in the heater crackled while it kept the cold away.
Her hands had already warmed up in his palms, but she did not let go.
"Let's go back."
"As you wish, Princess Chloe."
The maids busied themselves and then sat in the simpler carriage following behind.
Luo Lan sat across from the girl and lifted a corner of the window curtain. The setting sun looked like blood and it dyed the Silverpine Forest in a burning gold-red color.
Winter turned to spring and spring turned to winter. Luo Lan counted his fingers and realized this was his seventh year here.
Even now, his memories of the previous [Playthrough] were still clear.
...
[Year 2077 of the Rodran Kingdom, Demon King Chloe has been slain. The world is at peace.]
Blood leaked from the cracks in his broken armor and crawled along charred patterns before falling onto the cracked stone steps.
Luo Lan stood in the middle of the ruins. A blinding wound cut across his chest. He heard songs of praise coming from the distance and the sound was so clean it was almost annoying.
The sky was clear and light fell like snow.
Luo Lan didn't mind being a side character in a magic RPG game filled with overpowered female leads and tragic romance. However, he didn't expect his identity to be a consumable item meant to help the [Saintess] and her party grow stronger.
A guide, a stepping stone, and a consumable.
Honestly, if someone couldn't laugh at that news, they were probably depressed.
Luo Lan had stood before the Demon King Slaying Army. He followed the script and let the female leads beat him into the ground. When he saw the notification for [Witness the growth of all female heroes], he thought he was finally free.
He was wrong.
He could only leave if he reached a [Perfect Ending]. Luo Lan had only finished the [Normal Ending] for the Saintess route. He only had one chance left. If he didn't win this playthrough, he would die!
'Fine, if that's how you want to play.'
Luo Lan felt annoyed and skipped the tips, the guides, and the buttons in the corner for [I Understand], [I Confirm], and [I Agree]...
Then he saw a line of golden text.
[Even if the guide is broken, please become the final...]
"Skip," the boy said with a blank face.
No one actually watches the cutscenes in a second playthrough, right?
Luo Lan returned to seven years before the story started. This was seven years before the Saintess finished her [Destiny Trial].
In the last playthrough, the goal was to help the Saintess party grow so they could defeat the Demon King. In this playthrough, the goal was to raise the Demon King and subdue the Saintess party. The only thing that stayed the same was that he was still the enemy of the Saintess.
When he regained consciousness, he was no longer in the ruins of the temple. He looked up and saw the morning light while horses neighed in his ears.
'I'm alive, hehe.'
He used his memory to find Duke Lufinias in North Yankton. He joined as a magic advisor and helped a young Chloe run away. Later, war broke out on the border. The Duke died on the front lines just like the original plot. The status of the Lufinias family dropped instantly. Only this fief and castle in the north were left for the young Chloe.
...
Luo Lan stopped thinking. The snow in the Silverpine Forest was falling from the gray sky one flake at a time.
The carriage wheels rolled over the icy road and made a rhythmic creaking sound. Luo Lan closed the curtain and looked at the girl opposite him. She was resting with her eyes closed. Her silver hair swayed with the bumps of the carriage and glowed softly under the warm lamp. That face slowly overlapped with the memory of the figure pinned to a throne of ruins by a holy sword.
"Say, why do I feel like you are being lazy lately?"
Chloe had been faking sleep, but she suddenly opened her eyes. Her ruby eyes were bright in the dark as she stared at Luo Lan.
"The number of Skills we train is decreasing and the time is getting longer..." Chloe counted the reasons on her fingers.
"That isn't true..." Luo Lan looked out the window guiltily as the scenery blurred past. "The Princess just has high [Aptitude]. You are learning fast."
His laughter sounded dry in the carriage. Chloe did not reply. She closed her eyes again and the corners of her mouth curved upward.
The Lufinias castle was not far from the forest. The carriage stopped at the main gate before the sun vanished completely.
That night, the head maid, chef, and magic advisor—the older twin sister, Aria—prepared a feast.
Candles flickered on the long table and the silver utensils glowed. However, Chloe did not have much of an appetite. She cut her steak into small pieces and only ate a little before putting her fork down.
"I am full."
She finished her pumpkin cream mushroom soup and left. After Chloe walked away, the atmosphere in the dining room became awkward.
Luo Lan felt the eyes of everyone, including Aria, focusing on him. He finished his dinner quickly and ran back to his room.
His room was simple, but there was a very large bookshelf. It was stuffed with books, mostly ancient magic texts.
Luo Lan entered the room and locked the door. He felt it wasn't safe enough, so he added a small [Barrier].
Then he sat at his desk and opened his palm.
Mana spread out and a small cube appeared in his hand. It was the size of half a palm. Intricate patterns were carved on every side. He controlled it and it began to transform with a clicking sound. Finally, the cube turned into a thick, decorated book.
Luo Lan took a deep breath and began to read it carefully while whispering to himself.
"This is bad, this is bad, this is bad. How is she learning so fast..."