131. Hello! Nice to meet you, Possessor
“Uh, no. You’re my top priority, Possessor. I don’t want you putting yourself in danger just to help someone else.”
That was the reason he appeared in the first place.
Because he hated seeing a possessor who couldn’t see even an inch ahead get hurt and broken.
The only reason he threw himself into the role of a guardian angel was because of that.
Before the possessor existed as Roselia, even before the world she belonged to came into being.
At the end of a time that seemed eternal, there was only chaos.
In the void that made up the beginning, there was a god who breathed life into existence.
With a single breath, life bloomed, and under his desire, all things began.
Worlds conceived in his hands gained vitality, matured, perished, and were reborn.
Just as a single speck of dust becomes sand, and grains of sand form the earth, Roselia’s world too was merely one among the countless worlds that made up existence.
It was exceedingly rare for his gaze to fall upon a tiny being destined to vanish without a trace in the great flow of time.
“This possessor is another traffic accident victim.”
In the world of intermediaries that linked one world to another, the youngest employee, tired of the endless routine, spoke flatly.
“These days, the rate of car accidents among humans is awful. Already this year, how many people have possessed after getting hit by cars?”
The usual grumbling—back in my day it wasn’t this bad—should have just passed him by.
But this time, he found himself listening.
“This one’s a bit unusual, though. They died saving a child who fell in a crosswalk—got hit instead.”
“On top of that, an orphan, dying young in such a way…”
At the end of the file was a heartfelt note: ‘The deceased was born into misfortune but ended their life with a good deed. Please judge with leniency.’
“Ugh. I hate these factory-stamped tragic backstories.”
The woman reviewing the file muttered irritably.
She habitually reached for the next file, then hesitated and glanced around.
“…But in cases like this, shouldn’t they at least get a possession perk?”
“Come on, every possessor has a story. If we give out perks for every sad case, it’ll break fairness.”
“Perks are only granted in special cases—when someone made extraordinary contributions to humanity or left a world-shaking legacy. It’s not something to hand out lightly.”
Her suggestion was quickly shot down by other employees.
But for once, she was stubborn.
“Still, they saved a life. With their own body, no less. Doesn’t a small good deed still count as good?”
Was it because she herself had once been a possessor? Or perhaps she just felt sorry for one who died so young?
Since she wouldn’t back down easily, a short debate ensued.
In the end, they agreed to grant the kind possessor a special ability—balanced by raising the difficulty of their possession.
“Then why bother giving perks at all—ah, whatever. No helping it, I guess.”
Though unsatisfied, she reluctantly turned back to her paperwork.
He too was about to lose interest in the small fuss.
[You fool! Speaking so rudely at the banquet—are you insane?!]
[Aah! I’m sorry, I’m sorry, Aunt!]
But because the difficulty was raised too high, the kind possessor was abused and met a pitiful death.
【SYSTEM: Beginning 3rd Life】
[Roselia Sertaia is granted the talent of ‘Martial Power.’]
【TIP! Use ‘Martial Power’ to achieve your Happy Ending ♥】
Now that she had the strength to protect herself, she should be able to survive.
Relieved, he prepared to leave.
[So, you’ve been learning swordsmanship lately? Why? Because people are pampering you, you think you’re something now?]
[…]
[What could you possibly accomplish? Stay put in this house and keep quiet instead of meddling!]
[Agh!]
[Die! Useless brats like you who don’t know their place deserve to die!]
[Please, stop, Aunt!]
But then she was dragged down into ruin while resisting violence.
And so began the fourth life.
【SYSTEM: Beginning 4th Life】
[Roselia Sertaia is granted the talent of ‘Escape.’]
【TIP! Use ‘Escape’ to achieve your Happy Ending ♥】
This time, surely, she could flee from her tragic fate and live happily.
But—
“It’s a terrorist attack!”
“Rebels have seized the South and are marching on the capital!”
Just before boarding the ship for exile, chaos erupted.
It was pandemonium, but soon it was her turn to board.
Once on the ship, she would be safe.
“Miss, aren’t you boarding?”
“Please, let us on first!”
But she gave up her spot to a heavily pregnant woman carrying a child.
“…Soft spot for children, huh.”
He muttered absently, watching her.
“Hey, if you’re not getting on, stop blocking the way!”
When it was finally her turn, an anxious passenger shoved her aside. She fell, was trampled by the crowd, and died.
And then came yet another life.
[If I can be with you, Milady, I fear no death.]
“It won’t hurt long. As long as this lets us be together…”
“Even in the afterlife, let’s stay together forever.”
―KWAANG!
“…”
Watching her die another empty death, he frowned.
No matter how much the difficulty was adjusted, could things really twist so badly?
[…I don’t want to do anything anymore.]
In the end, she abandoned even the will to live.
He looked at the fragile human with pity.
If it were me, I wouldn’t have done that.
If only I had been there…
“…”
But he was an undefined being.
An undefined being could not simply interfere in a world.
Like water taking the shape of its vessel, he too needed a body and a role to exist within the world.
Thus, he chose to become a manager himself.
“Hello, my name is Ian. I’ll be taking over, but… I don’t know what to call you.”
Ian, the youngest in the Possessor Management Department, fidgeted nervously.
Inside, he was lamenting: What sin did I commit to get stuck serving a primordial deity?
His only “crime” was standing up for one possessor.
The manager smiled warmly at him.
“I don’t really have a name. Call me whatever you like.”
“Eh? Still, if you’d at least give me a proper title…”
“What does that matter? Just say ‘hey’ or ‘you.’”
“There’s no way I could ever address the Primordial God so casually!”
Ian was flustered, but as expected of someone who had once been a possessor himself, he adapted quickly.
“Hey! You caused trouble again, didn’t you? Don’t you know the whole department’s in chaos?”
“You’re still a rookie—how could you just pick a possessor on your own?”
“And that possessor already had a manager assigned! How can you change assignments overnight?”
It didn’t take long before Ian was the only one on casual terms with the manager.
Compared to those who looked down on him, the manager was far kinder—almost like having a friend.
“Yeah. So what if I did?”
“…What?”
“I found proof the previous manager was deliberately sabotaging the possessor. Isn’t that a violation of neutrality? I told them to fire him.”
“Well, that’s because only that possessor’s difficulty was—”
“Exactly. The difficulty was set way too high. So from now on, I’ll handle it myself.”
“…”
Every now and then, the manager displayed absurd authority that reminded Ian of the distance between them.
【Manager: ⸜(ˊᗜˋ)⸝】
【Manager: Nice to meet you, Possessor!】
【Manager: I’m your petite-cute newbie manager!】
【Manager: I came to… observe—no, help you with your possessor life.】
The manager liked having a new name.
He was happy to have finally reached out to the one he’d only ever watched from afar.
And so, he decided to stay in this world a little longer.
