"Hello, Quill. Did you call for me?"
The letters speak without a mouth, their voice echoing from every direction at once. The sound isn't loud, but it wraps around me in such an unnatural way that it makes my skin crawl. I've never experienced anything this ridiculous in my life.
"You can talk like this?" I ask, genuinely stunned.
"Well, of course I do," the letters reply, now swirling around me in smooth, deliberate circles, as if inspecting my body. "This form is the most suitable for your eyes to perceive. From now on, you will see me like this. But be warned... Others can see me as well. So choose wisely when you decide to summon me."
Others can also see Big Boss? How? I always thought no one else could see the system window but me…
"To answer that question would require months of explanation, and your fragile mind is not yet ready to face that reality."
Did it read my mind?
Big Boss is amazing… but also kind of creepy.
I instinctively take a step back, uneasy about this floating… creature, or whatever it is.
The letters shimmer and tremble slightly, facing me without eyes. Then, without warning, they still.
Did I offend it? Sorry?
"If you have no further use for me, then I shall go," the letters say coldly, beginning to fade right before my eyes.
"No, wait!" I reach out, but my fingers pass right through. The thing isn't tangible. Just light and sound and… something else entirely. The letters shimmer in and out of focus, like fragments of a dream that refuse to stay still.
"I have so many questions! Please, don't go!" I drop whatever pride I have left and plead sincerely.
"...Fine."
The two letters—WN—solidify again, hovering gently in the sky like they're waiting for my next words.
I take a breath and ask the one question burning in my chest:
"Can you tell me... how do I use my powers?"
Did I ask something wrong?
Big Boss floats in place silently for a while now, not replying to me. But I can feel something—like a presence pressing in on me, inspecting every inch of my soul from the inside out. There are no eyes, no mouth, and yet somehow… I know it's staring.
And then—
"Very well… We believe you deserve a reward for what has happened to you."
We?
"Reward? But I just want to ask about my powers," I say, blinking in confusion.
"That is your reward—my answer. We don't have time to stand here all day and teach you how to be a proper author. That part… you'll have to figure out yourself. But we can give you a few pointers. And fortunately, you already have a test subject to try them on."
A breath of relief escapes my lips… but also, why did it suddenly say 'we'? That part creeps me out more than I want to admit.
"First," it continues, "pull out your quill from your pocket."
"Oh, right!" I fumble, quickly fishing it out. I got so caught up carrying Powder that I forgot I even tucked it away.
"Now what?" I ask, straightening up. My focus locks in.
"As the author of this story," Big Boss begins, its tone shifting to something… heavier, "you have the power to influence the fate of any character who does not belong to the core plotline."
I freeze, shoulders tense.
"But why? Why can't I change the main plot? Isn't this supposed to be my story?"
Frustration stirs in my chest like boiling water. My hands curl into fists, not because I want to fight, but because I don't know what else to do with the heat crawling under my skin. That line again… That's twice now...
"Because the Editor says so."
"…Who?"
"The Editor. A god who oversees authors like yourself, ensuring their stories remain engaging. And to keep this one engaging, you must not interfere with the main plot."
I blink slowly. Still lost. But fine… whatever. If I can't, I can't. I'll figure something else out later.
"Okay then. Just tell me how to change the fate of side characters. That's what you call them, right?"
"NPCs. That's how you should refer to those outside the main plot. We can't tell you why just yet… but in time, you'll understand."
Always so mysterious… and annoying...
"We believe you've already noticed that you can read the minds of others."
"Yeah… but that only works with my sister."
"That's because your sister is part of the main plot."
My stomach drops.
Lia?
She's… part of the main story?
That means—
No. No, no, no!
If she's important to the plot, then that means things will happen to her.
...Dangerous things.
"And you," the voice continues, "were never meant to be."
I barely hear that last part. My mind spins too fast to care.
"We may not answer any further," Big Boss says firmly. "But know this—you cannot read the minds of NPCs the same way. To do so, you must use your quill."
I lift my head and look at the letters, but the excitement I feel earlier is gone. My chest feels tight.
The news about Lia… about her being part of the main plot—it's unsettling in ways I can't even begin to process.
"Now," Big Boss says, "imagine yourself drawing a small system window, just like the one that always floats beside you, recording your every move."
I hesitate. The moment feels too heavy, and I'm just… not in the mood anymore.
But Big Boss doesn't push me. It waits in silence, like it understands.
When my thoughts finally settle, I take a slow breath and follow its instructions.
Then, something magical happens.
A small golden window—not the usual red—materializes before my eyes. Letters begin to form across it, one by one, like strands of fate being stitched into the air.
[Powder is dreaming about becoming the champion of the Farming League. With a proud grin and a cob of corn in hand, he stands victorious atop the podium…]
"Amazing…" I mutter under my breath, awe washing over me.
"Now," Big Boss continues, "alter his dream however you wish. Simply write above the window what you want to happen to the character."
"That's…" I pause, thinking. Then an idea hits me, and I grin.
I raise my quill and begin to write.
{Suddenly, a new challenger steps onto the podium and shoves Powder aside. It's his friend—Quill. Holding a legendary golden pumpkin, Quill raises it high. The crowd erupts into cheers, even louder than for Powder. Quill is crowned the new Farming League Champion.}
"N-No! M-my first place… NO!" Powder suddenly mutters in his sleep, his face contorting as his dream warps. Then, with a gasp, his eyes snap open.
"No!" he shouts, bolting upright in a cold sweat.
I can't hold it in.
I burst into laughter, so hard I double over. My stomach aches, and tears threaten to form in the corners of my eyes.
Somewhere in that fit of laughter, I realize Big Boss is already gone.
But it doesn't matter.
Now I know what this power can do, even with something as silly as a dream. It's just the beginning. With this quill in hand… I might just be able to reshape mountains.