"Then… can this curse be removed? And what will it cost?"
There was a long pause before the system finally replied.
[ Yes. It can be removed, and it will cost nothing. ]
My eyes widened in genuine shock.
"…Seriously?"
I had expected some long system quest—maybe even saving a few worlds—but a straight-up "yes" with no cost?
"Hey… are you telling the truth?"
[ Yes. It is completely free. Why are you suspicious? ]
I narrowed my eyes.
"When I was a kid, my mom told me, 'If something is free, then you are the product.'"
[ …Well, you're not wrong. But— ]
"See? You do have some hidden motive. Mom was right—nothing is ever truly free. So tell me… what are you hiding? What—"
{ Man, just hold your horses for a while. }
I froze. A chill crawled down my spine.
Around me, everything vanished. I was no longer in my room or the world I knew.
I was in a red void.
The system's blue interface had shifted into a golden one. Then, a voice—calm, but with authority echoed from it.
{ Now listen. I am the creator of this system. }
My eyes widened.
"Are you… Veldanava?" I asked, thinking about all the fanfictions where Veldanava was always the strongest being—unrivaled, absolute.
{ No, I'm not him. I am… something you can't comprehend. }
"...Is that so? Then tell me—why am I here?"
{ Let's get to the point. I am a newly born ******—a higher being who recently came into power. I was exploring world created by my seniors and the I discovered the concept of factions on earth. I loved it. So, I started creating worlds based on those factions. }
"Let me guess… now, some of the protagonists from those worlds are starting to challenge your authority, and to stop them, you've chosen me?"
There was silence… and then a deep, amused laugh.
{ Ha ha ha… You humans really do love to imagine things. }
{ I am their creator. If I wanted, I could erase their entire existence with a thought. It's like being the author of a story—no matter how strong the character is, if I write their death, they die. Simple. }
"Then what's the problem?"
{ The problem is… I am still a young ******. I didn't manage these worlds properly. Now, protagonists from different fictions are bleeding into the wrong ones. }
{ Imagine a protagonist designed for a brutal, kill-or-be-killed world being born in a peaceful one. The world will be destroyed by him. }
"So why not just kill them off? Like an author who doesn't like a character?"
{ It's not that simple. There are… other factors I have to consider. }
I was about to respond when my vision suddenly darkened. My body started to heat up—violently.
"What's… happening?"
{ My presence is too overwhelming even for your soul. You're not ready. I'll send you back. The system will explain everything. I've upgraded it. }
{ But remember this—what happens tho those worlds now is your responsibility. There destruction and survival is now your responsibility.}
"...How is it my responsibility?" I asked.
{ Because to me, their deaths are like ants being stepped on. Do you grieve when you crush an ant? If I act I have to destroy all those world killing trillions in process}
{It will not effect me in any way there life have no meaning to me}
"...How could you say that? They are living being you created. They have meaning. Every life has meaning."
My body was starting to fade. I could feel it—like I was being pulled away.
{ To us higher beings, the meaning of life is different. We do grieve, but only for those equal to us. In that way… we're not so different from you humans. }
And then, everything went dark.