𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐕𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐧'𝐬 𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐭

prologue

{ You are here. Welcome, } a strange mechanical voice rang in Baek-Hyeun's head. Or, could you still say it's "in his head?" His body felt nonexistent, as if he was space itself, drifting anywhere and everywhere in the dark place he now resided in. He couldn't feel his arms or legs or anything, for that matter.

{ Yes, your body does not exist at the moment, } the same voice replied. 

Baek-Hyun, disoriented and tired, thought, "How strange. It's like I died."

{ Because you are dead. }

There was a brief moment of silence as the boy processed the mechanical voice. Frankly, he expected his death to come soon. He had a chronic illness that prevented him from leaving the hospital for the majority of his life, especially in the recent month he was still alive. He was always bored, seeing the same scenery outside every day. Did the afterlife consist of floating around a dark room forever? It sounded even more boring than when he was alive.

Baek-Hyun didn't want to stay.

{ Host, you do not need to stay in here forever. Would you like to know how to leave? }

"Can you read my thoughts?" the boy countered, still processing his death. Did he say goodbye to his parents? Since he didn't realize he died, did he die in his sleep? He was supposed to go to a new amusement park with his friends once he was allowed to leave. He was supposed to go back to school and see everyone again. There were so many things he still wanted to do, but now he was dead. If he weren't so dazed at the moment, he would've been making a fuss.

"At least it wasn't a painful death."

{ Yes, I can read your thoughts. You are my host. }

"Host," the boy echoed. "What is that?"

{ Someone who takes on a system. } A vague answer. Baek-Hyun frowned, displeased. 

{ ...Being a host entails completing quests a system puts forth. }

"What kinds of quests?"

{ That depends on the system and the story. }

"The story?" Baek-Hyun questioned.

{ Correct, } the "machine" answered. { Your soul will be transmigrated into another body in an alternate Earth to take part in another story. In return, you must accept me as your system. }

There was some kind of haze in Baek-Hyun's mind, making him feel dizzier and more tired than earlier. Despite having no physical body at the moment, he wanted to curl up and sleep. He could feel his consciousness slipping.

{ Host, there is not a lot of time. You must choose now. Will you accept a system? }

"What...what if I don't?"

{ ...You will stay in this room for eternity. }

Baek-Hyun's mind was going blank.

"That...doesn't sound fun," he managed to say. "I'll choose...to....live....."

As the boy's consciousness faded, the system watched the scattered pieces of his soul warp into his new body--the body of a villain in a story. The body quickly disappeared to the place of its starting point in the home of a high-class family, and the walls of the ebony space shattered and dissipated into thin air, exposing the clear blue sky around it. Truth be told, they were already in the world Baek-Hyun would now take part in; he had no other choice, to begin with. But, wouldn't he feel better if he made the choice himself?

The system, floating by itself in the sky, slowly transformed into the shape of a crow. It flew a great distance to a tree next to a window, watching as maids frantically took care of the boy inside. The system's host would wake up soon in the body of someone who suddenly caught an illness and was on the verge of death, different from how the written fate was supposed to play out. The owner of the body is supposed to live, which is why the world resorted to bringing in another person with a host to guide him. 

Baek-Hyun was the perfect candidate, dying at the exact same time the villain did, down to the very seconds.

Continuing to watch the nurses rejoice when the boy awoke, the system cawed.

{ Now, the character has been saved. I hope you will be a good villain, Lee Minho. }