I watch as Roxy stares at me, confusion swirling in her eyes. Before long, the tears come; silent at first, then streaming uncontrollably down her cheeks. Her hand, still gripping the axe, shakes so hard she finally drops it with a dull thud on the floor.
"Quill… you… you damn fool… Why would you say that to me now, and not back then?" Her voice wavers, her body shuddering with each breath. Only now do I see it: she's not the beast I always imagined. She's just a girl. Strong on the outside, but breakable within. Maybe I couldn't understand that as a kid. Now I do. And even if those old feelings have faded, I know I wronged her.
"I know. I'm sorry." I move toward her, arms extended, making sure every movement is slow. Her face, streaked with tears, looks so vulnerable it makes my chest ache.
What is this feeling? This isn't me… I don't do this. Stop, Quill, just stop before it goes too far. But my body won't listen; my heart's taken the lead. Before I know it, I've wrapped my arms around her, pulling her close, letting her sob into my chest. I pat her head gently, surprised by how soft her hair feels beneath my hand. Her body finally relaxes, and she sags into my chest, letting herself lean against me completely.
My heart skips, just for a moment. Maybe I liked Roxy more than I thought, even as a kid, despite her wild streak. But I always told myself it was just a childish crush, something that faded as I grew older. Today, I don't know what to feel, and I'm not about to call this love. It's too early. Too sudden.
That's not even on my radar right now. I just hold her until her tears slow and her shaking stops. We end up talking for almost an hour, laughing, dredging up memories of all the stupid things we did as kids. I explain—well, lie—about how I got this way, spinning a story about meeting a so-called goddess of heroes who granted me weird powers to fight evil and save people. But the truth is, that demon lord stuff is Glorius's business, not mine.
While I've heard all about the revival of the demon lord, I know I can't just kill it off. That would probably break the main plot… But maybe I can make things more entertaining for the readers by beating the crap out of the demon lord, just not finishing it off. Make it stronger, let that idiot Glorius suffer a bit more. As long as he doesn't die, the story keeps rolling.
I smile at the thought, and Roxy's palm suddenly lands on my thigh, snapping me out of it.
"Are you okay? You looked lost in thought." She says it softly, almost making me laugh, considering she nearly killed me not long ago.
"It's nothing much. Just thinking about what comes next… the adventure ahead. Right now, it's just me and Powder, but that's how it usually goes." I grin, and she gives me a strange look—soft, warm, way different from the Roxy I thought I knew. Did I mess up her mind with all the memory rewriting? Or is this really her?
"Then… let me come with you. Let me be your shield." Her cheeks flush pink, but her voice is steady. "I'm not an adventurer, but I've trained in these forests for years. I know how to block monsters and keep them off others. You could use someone like me."
My heart stutters for a moment—damn, why does she have to be so pretty when she's serious?
"That would be amazing!" I try to play it cool, even though I might've orchestrated this whole thing from the start. But honestly, Roxy as the vanguard? That could work. I always pictured a tall guy with a massive shield… but she's even tougher than that. She can take a hit, protect the whole party, and deep down, I trust her more than anyone to do it right.
She stands up, hand pressed to her chest. "Then, I hereby announce that I, Roxy, am joining your party, hero Quill. Let's make the world a better place together." Her words carry real weight. I feel a surge of energy ripple through me. Something deep inside stirs, and suddenly a crystal-clear system screen flickers to life right in front of my eyes.
Now this… this is new. I've never seen a screen like this before. Just what kind of ability is this?
[You are finally stepping onto the path to create your own plotline.]
I read the words, glancing at Roxy. But she's frozen—actually, everything around me is frozen, down to the fly stuck mid-air and dust hanging motionless in the light. Only I can move. Time has stopped. This is insane… I think I might love my life now.
[If you create the party right now, your plotline will become reality and clash with the main plotline. While you may not change the main plot, you can now move against both the main protagonist and the main antagonist. Or create new antagonists for the hero to defeat.]
My excitement is off the charts. This is exactly what I needed! Time to mess with Glorius. I reach for my quill, ready to start writing, but the screen keeps scrolling. Oh? There's more?
[Your party members will receive powers beyond those of ordinary side characters. Their growth potential will become limitless, so choose your companions carefully. Once they grow strong, it will be much harder to change them. If they reach the level of gods, they may even be able to escape your control… if they discover who's been pulling the strings.]
Level of gods? That's… a lot to process. I mean, I appreciate the warning, but it makes me wonder—just how much does the system really know? Are there other authors out there like me, weaving their own worlds? Was the author I killed trapped inside his book, or somewhere else? That question's haunted me ever since I got these powers.
[Make your decision, author.]
"Alright." I ready my quill, but pause for a second. What should I call this new party of mine?
{I agree to create the party. I'll use this party to build empires, create new enemies and allies for the protagonist, and make the journey truly engaging. I accept that those under me will be granted powers beyond the fate of ordinary side characters. And I name this party: Rewrite.}