The True Ending

7 | To Be Wed [7]

Seraina sat on the bench and observed Callen as he tried to find the most suitable wine. She tried to get the shaking under control and not let the man notice anything unusual, especially as he wasn't exactly friendly to her. And while Callen's attention was elsewhere, she went over what she had learned of this world so far.

First, the original Seraina was engaged to Callen and had been living in his house before she entered this world. It wasn't known how the engagement come about, but one thing was for certain Seraina hadn't done so willingly.

Even though she knew little about the original owner, from what she could deduce so far, she could tell that the og!Seraina wouldn't have agreed to be married to Callen. Unfortunately, this marriage couldn't be broken that easily, as the plot was still a mystery and Seraina didn't want to mess anything up.

Secondly, since being in this world, she hadn't met the original's parents, so she didn't know her relationship with them. However, if they knew how Seraina was being treated - such as being locked in her room and being neglected by her future husband's family - wouldn't ordinary parents have shown up by now?

The og!Seraina had been abandoned long ago and was left to fend for herself here.

And last, Callen mentioned her sister a lot and compared Seraina to her. This showed that Callen had a relationship with the sister, and favoured her more than his fiancee.

If he disliked the original so much and felt more affection for the sister, why did he stay engaged to Seraina? It made little sense, and it was one question among many that she needed to find the answers to.

Sys... System... Sys... System loading... Trying to make a connection... Connection failed... Will try again... Trying to make a connection...

20%...40%...60%

[System!] Seraina was shocked to hear the voice of the System after so long. She fought the urge to jump to her feet and instead called out to the System in her mind.

[You didn't die!]

Systems couldn't lose their lives as normal humans would, but they would shut down and go into a long sleep if their data were damaged. Which was what happened to Seraina's system in the Digital Realm.

The war had taken the lives of many, the systems included, and Seraina was sure she would never get to hear from the System again.

Tears of happiness welled in her eyes, but she didn't let them fall.

100% loaded. The Host is now connected to the Main Frame. Please stand by while we get a system ready for you.

Congratulations Host, we have found the perfect system for you. System 1492 is ready to make your acquaintance and help you with your journey through the Novel Worlds. They will help you with tasks, answer any questions you have and provide you with anything you need.

Thank you for your cooperation and safe travels.

A light blue screen popped up in midair and floated before her eyes. Confusion overcame her thoughts, and she froze for a moment because nothing like this had appeared before.

She had been a Host for many years and apart from having the System, which had to follow her everywhere, nothing else travelled alongside her through these worlds. Everything would be provided when she became a new character.

She had never seen the screen before her, and before she could look over it, a voice sounded in her head:

[Greetings, Host. I am System 1492 and I will be your assistant throughout your journey. It's a pleasure to meet you.] The voice was polite and without attachment. And it was one that Seraina had never heard before: it wasn't the system she once knew.

Her mood turned sombre, but she hid her expression and swallowed what she wanted to say. Of course, this wasn't the system she was so familiar with the system had used up the last of its strength to send her to the Novel World, and had shut down shortly after. All hope was dashed and she could only say, [System 1492, what is this blue screen? And what is happening now in the Digital Realm?]

[Beep... The blue screen before you is a newly added feature. It contains all the information needed for this world, including the male lead's hostility level, how much of the plot has been completed and what has been changed by the Plotter.

There is also a map of the location you're currently in, character info of the Host body, and surveillance of other characters.]

Seraina studied the screen and thought that the Digital Realm was improving and was becoming more helpful when it came to the Hosts completing worlds. It would've been much easier if she had this when she first started.

With the distraction of the Digital Realm's latest technology, Seraina had forgotten about the state it had been in when she was forcefully thrown out of it. And she repeated her question, her gaze turning firm. [1492, what is happening in the Digital Realm? Is it safe to go back?]

After completing this world, would there be a place to go back to? Or would she find herself being sent to the void with no way to return?

[Beep...Beep... System loading question... Beep... Error loading question...

Sorry Host, but this question can not be answered at this time. Please hurry and complete your tasks and return to the Digital Realm as soon as possible.

Good luck Host, and may you never cross the line: the consequences are unimaginable.]